[3][4] He earned three varsity letters (1934–1936)[5]: 209  playing football at Alabama Polytechnic Institute, officially renamed Auburn University in 1960.

[11][1] He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 1937 NFL draft,[12] but he did not play professionally, opting to pursue a career in the oil industry.

[16] Gilbert served in the United States Army during World War II;[2] entering in February 1942,[17] he attained the rank of major.

[18] The award was first issued in May 1981, to Joseph Lester Stewart (1915–2004),[19] who served as an officer in the United States Marine Corp from 1937 to 1965 and retired at the rank of brigadier general.

[20] Stewart had served as cadet colonel of Auburn's ROTC brigade and was a fellow 1937 graduate with Gilbert.