Chief Warrant Officer Four Gordon K. Kippola
Associate Conductor
Director, The U.S. Army Blues
Director, The U.S. Army Band Downrange
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Chief Warrant Officer Four Gordon K. Kippola is a native of Seabeck, Washington, and enlisted in the Army in 1982. Kippola earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and a Master of Science degree in Management from the University of Maryland University College.
After completing Basic Training at Fort Rucker, Alabama, Kippola completed Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at the United States Army Element School of Music at the Naval Amphibious Base at Little Creek in Norfolk, Virginia. Following AIT, Kippola was assigned to the 6th U.S. Army Band at the Presidio of San Francisco, California, as a trombone player. Other assignments during Chief Kippola’s enlisted service include duty with the 2nd Infantry Division Band at Camp Casey, Korea; the 1st U.S. Army Band at Fort Meade, Maryland; the 8th U.S. Army Band in Seoul, Korea; and the 399th U.S. Army Band at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He also completed a staff assignment at the Armed Forces School of Music.
Kippola was appointed a Warrant Officer in 1996, and assigned as the commander of the 10th Mountain Division Band, Fort Drum, New York. He then commanded the 1st Infantry Division Band in Germany and Iraq, and the 77th U.S. Army Band at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Prior to being assigned to serve as director of The U.S. Army Blues and The U.S. Army Band Downrange, Kippola spent four years touring the United States as the director of the Jazz Ambassadors of The U.S. Army Field Band.
Chief Kippola’s military awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Unit Citation, the Army Good Conduct Medal (4th Award), the Humanitarian Service Medal, and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
Updated Thursday, March 1, 2012 2:07 PM | CW4 Gordon K. Kippola
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