MG Gibson was born on February 7, 1944. He was raised in Ayden, North Carolina, and commissioned in the Army upon his graduation from the United States Military Academy with the Bachelor of Science degree in 1966. He is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Advanced Course, the Army Command and General Staff College, and the Naval War College. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Management from Webster University and a Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategy from the Naval War College. His military training includes completion of the Airborne and Ranger Courses at the U.S. Army Infantry School; and the Fixed Wing Aviator, the Rotary Wing Qualification, and the AH-64 Aviator Qualification Courses at the U.S. Army Aviation School.

MG Gibson has held a variety of important command and staff positions culminating in his current assignment as the Commanding General, U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command. Other key assignments include: Chief, Requirements, Programs and Priorities Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, Headquarters, Department of the Army; Executive Officer to the Vice Chief of Staff, Army; Assistant Division Commander, 101st Airborne Division ( Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Director, Force Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans, Headquarters, Department of the Army; and Commanding General of the US Army Aviation and Troop Command. He served as the first Commander of the US Army Aviation and Missile Command from 17 July 1997 to 9 July 1999.

MG Gibson has served with distinction at every level of command and in two armed conflicts, including: Platoon Leader, Company B, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 325th Infantry, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Commander, Company A, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 325th Infantry, 82d Airborne Division; Commander, Company C, 3d Battalion (Mechanized), 11th Infantry, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized), Fort Carson, Colorado; Executive Officer, 223d Aviation Battalion (Combat), 11th Aviation Group, Germany; Commander, 48th Aviation Company, 223d Aviation Battalion; Commander, 223d Aviation Battalion; Commander, 4th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment, Germany; and Commander, 12th Aviation Brigade, V Corps, Germany.

During the Vietnam conflict, MG Gibson was Assistant Ranger Battalion Advisor, Vietnamese 43d Ranger Battalion; then, Tactical Operations Center Duty Officer, IV Corps; and later G-3 Air Advisor, IV Corps, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. During the Gulf War, he commanded the 12th Aviation Brigade, first with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and later with the XVIII Airborne Corps.

MG Gibson's decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with Three Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with Silver Leaf Cluster, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and Air Force Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. He has been awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Ranger Tab, the Senior Army Aviator Badge, the Senior Parachutist Badge, and the Army Staff Identification Badge.

He went on to serve in another assignment and retired thereafter.