Marine Corps Forces Central Command

First Sergeant Wilson was born on 24 January, 1977 in Gunnison, Colorado. He graduated from Gunnison High School in 1995. Gabriel Wilson enlisted in the Marine Corps in February of 1995 and attended boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California. He currently has completed 17 years of active service.

Upon completion of boot camp, Marine Combat Training and the Basic Combat Engineer Course, Private First Class Wilson reported for duty with Marine Wing Support Squadron-171 (MWSS-171) in Iwakuni, Japan. While with MWSS-171 he served with the engineer detachment from October 1995 to October 1996.

In October of 1996, Lance Corporal Wilson reported for duty to Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, serving at Officer Candidate School for one year. Upon his promotion to Corporal, he was then transferred to The Basic School as a team leader in the engineer instructor platoon. As a team leader, Corporal Wilson instructed Second Lieutenants and Warrant Officers in the fundamentals of combat engineering.

In March of 1999, Sergeant Wilson completed the Marine Corps Landmine Warfare School at Courthouse Bay aboard Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Sergeant Wilson subsequently reported to Headquarters and Service Company, Marine Barracks Ground Security Force, Minefield Maintenance Platoon in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. During this time he served as a Minefield Maintenance team member assisting in the maintenance and rehabilitation of all minefields aboard the Naval Base.

In July of 2000, Sergeant Wilson reported to the 1st Force Service Support Group, 7th Engineer Support Battalion serving as a Platoon Sergeant for 2nd platoon, Bravo Company. In December of 2001, he was promoted to Staff Sergeant and transferred to Charlie Company where he served as the Platoon Sergeant for 2nd platoon. On January 28th, 2003, Charlie Company deployed to Kuwait for Operation Iraqi Freedom. During this deployment, Charlie Company completed numerous missions including marking the breached lanes on the Kuwait-Iraq border, providing security / repairing runways at preexisting airfields, identifying removing and disposing massive amounts of unexploded ordnance, clearing schools of military weapons and equipment, and marking minefields.

In October of 2003, Staff Sergeant Wilson reported to Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay Hawaii for duty with the 3rd Force Service Support Group, Combat Service Support Group-3 in order to serve as the Construction Chief for Engineer Company. In September of 2004, Engineer Company assigned him to the Company Gunnery Sergeant billet where he served for approximately one year. In August of 2005, Staff Sergeant Wilson assumed the duties and responsibilities as the SACO/EOR for CSSG-3. In March of 2006, he was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant.

Upon promotion, Gunnery Sergeant Wilson received orders and in June 2006 he reported to the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division to serve as Platoon Commander for Route Clearance Platoon, Charlie Company. Upon Charlie Company’s return from Iraq, he served the battalion as the S-3 Training Chief until receiving TAD orders to I-MEF ISO OIF for 16 months. While with I-MEF he served with the G-3 CIED section whose focus of effort was to protect the force by targeting insurgent networks and defeating the IED devices.

When he returned from his TAD assignment with I-MEF, Gunnery Sergeant Wilson assumed the billet as the S-3 Operations Chief for the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion. Gabriel Wilson was on March 28th, 2010 promoted to his current rank, First Sergeant, and then immediately executed a PCS move to Quantico Virginia.

While at Quantico, First Sergeant Wilson was assigned as the Company First Sergeant for Headquarters Company, Security Battalion. After serving in this billet for just over a year he was transferred to Company First Sergeant, Military Police Company, Security Battalion where he severed for a year before receiving PCS orders to Marine Corps Central Command.

In June, 2012 First Sergeant Wilson reported to his current duty station to serve as the Company First Sergeant, Headquarters Company, Marine Corps Central Command aboard MacDill Air Force Base.

First Sergeant Wilson is a Christian and attends services at Bay Life church in Brandon, Florida. As an outdoor enthusiast, he enjoys archery and black powder/muzzle loading hunting as well as fishing.

He is married to the former Courtney Johnson of Davenport, Iowa. Courtney is a speech language pathologist and together they have five year old boy/girl twins (Colby and Chloe). They have been married for nine years.

First Sergeant Wilson’s personal awards include the Bronze Star with combat distinguishing device, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with three gold stars in lieu of fourth award, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two gold stars in lieu of third award, and the Combat Action Ribbon.