Elias Camsek Chin attended the Electronic Institute of Hawaii, graduating with an AA degree in Electronics Engineering Technology. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa where he also completed the Reserve Officer Training Corps Curriculum and Education course of Study. In 1975 Second Lieutenant Chin was commissioned in the Armor Corps of the U.S. Army. He later branch transferred to Aviation Corps and spent over 20 years as a U.S. Army combat aviator.