Staff Sergeant Preston Gilbert joined the West Point Band in 2023. He earned a Bachelor of Music in instrumental-music education from the University of Utah. Prior to joining the band, he was the director of percussion at Maple Mountain High School in Spanish Fork, Utah. His primary teachers include Dr. Michael Sammons, Doug Wolf, Danny Soulier, and Kelly Wallis. While attending the University of Utah, Staff Sgt. Gilbert performed in the Wind Ensemble, Philharmonic, Percussion Ensemble, and Drumline. He was also a staff member of the drumline during his last semesters as a student. As a rudimental percussionist, he performed in the snareline with the 2018 Battalion Drum and Bugle Corps and was section leader of Gold Spike Percussion from 2018 to 2019 in Ogden, Utah. He has since returned to the Battalion as a part of their teaching staff. In his free time, Staff Sgt. Gilbert enjoys spending time with his wife, Taylor, and their dog, Junie B. Jones.
