Gilbert served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1967 to 1973. He served in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970.
Gilbert was the Plank Owner of the Chase (Named after Samuel P Chase the Secretary of the Treasury) WHEC a weather high endurance Cutter. Srved on from March 68 to Jan 1971. The Chase was decommissioned in 2019 and given to the Algerian Navy to patrol the coast of Africa.