"Alexander Hamilton"s deterrent patrols out of Holy Loch continued until 1986. At that time, she was to have been decommissioned in order to remove her from the fleet as a gesture of goodwill in accordance with the terms of the unratified SALT II strategic arms limitation treaty. Upon her arrival in Groton early in 1986, she began preparations for deactivation. The grounding of the ballistic missile submarine , however, forced the Navy to change its plans. What had been a deactivation overhaul quickly became a four-week maintenance availability for repairs to get "Alexander Hamilton" ready for active service. In April 1986, she departed for Charleston, South Carolina, for further work conducted in the floating drydock . While at Charleston, she also served at sea occasionally as a training platform.