Lt. Colonel Ben Gipe
Born and raised in Owensboro, Kentucky, Ben Gipe graduated from Owensboro Senior High School in 1969 as the Brigade Commander of the Army JROTC his school provided. He achieved his Bachelor’s degree in geography from Western Kentucky University in 1973. Later on in May of that same year, he was commissioned as Second Lieutenant of Marines, which is quite the accomplishment!His military education includes Naval Flight Training, Amphibious Warfare School, Aviation Safety Officer Course, and Armed Forces Staff College; he even attended Navy Fighter Weapons School (Topgun)! Colonel Gipe’s military experience is comprised of 21 years active duty in Fighter squadrons, flying F-4 Phantoms as a training officer, an air combat tactics instructor, operations officer and maintenance officer and participated in the Louisville Military Entrance Processing Station, Marine Air Group 41. He was also in 2nd Air Naval Gunman Liaison Company (ANGLICO) while being the AGLICO Team Leader during overseas deployment, and he was the Senior Military Advisor to the Habbaniyah Iraqi Police District from June 2007 to January 2008. After retiring from twenty years of active service in 1993, he served in various local law enforcement positions and studied at places like Indiana Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA), ILEA Corrections Officer Course, In Diana State Police Dispatcher Course, Clark County (Indiana) Reserve Police Officer Academy, SWAT Sniper School, Probation Officer Certification, Investigator for Floyd County Prosecutor (Keith Henderson) plus numerous seminars and training for continuing education. He is currently a police sniper on the Floyd County Metro SWAT Team. His law enforcement ranks include Maine Air Group Officer, Officer in Charge—Senior Military Advisor to seven Police Transition Teams and the Iraqi Police District in combat. He even worked as a substitute teacher until 2005 when he became the Senior Naval Science Instructor for Floyd Central/Lanesville’s Navy Junior ROTC. In May of 2007, Colonel Gipe did the unthinkable and returned to active duty all the way until March of 2008. He spent over 3,000 hours in flight and 63 military static line parachute jumps during his time in duty. He has many personal decorations such as his Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, and his Navy Achievement Medal. Gipe quotes, “I was successful because of my enlisted Marines, Sailors and Soldiers.”
Senior Chief Mike Beal
Senior Chief Michael Beal served in the United States Navy for 23 years and has been serving as a Naval Science Instructor at Floyd Central/Lanesville Navy Junior ROTC since August of 1995. Beal enlisted into the Navy in 1972 and went to Boot Camp at Great Lakes in Illinois. He served on the USS Richard E. Byrd (DDG-23) in Norfolk, Virginia for two years after boot camp. He was assigned a variety of duties on the deck division, where he was a Leading Seaman and Bos’n of the Watch for both underway watch section and during replenishment operations. His responsibilities were everything from compartment cleaning to chipping, sanding and painting the ship, handling lines for special sea and anchor details and manning the projectile loading for the 5 inch 54 gun mount during General Quarters. Time on the USS Byrd included a 9-month cruise to the Mediterranean and North Atlantic as a part of the USS John F. Kennedy task force in 1973. Beal was honorably discharged after being promoted to Journalist 3rd Class Petty Officer and was assigned to a Naval Reserve unit in Louisville, Kentucky from 1974 to 1977. He went to school at the University of Louisville while he was a Reservist. Beal went back into active duty in 1977, working with Naval Reservists in a full time capacity in a program called Training Administration of Reserves (TAR), which is considered Full Time Support, or FTS, in other services. He served in New Orleans, Louisiana as a staff Journalist at Commander Naval Reserve Tactical Support Wing. This was a headquarters job that included publicizing the accomplishments of the pilots and crew of the Naval Reserve VR squadrons who flew the C-118 and C-9 aircraft and a couple of VC squadrons that flew TA-4J aircraft. From 1981 to 1984, Beal worked at the Naval Reserve Readiness Command Region 13, Great Lakes, Illinois as their staff Journalist publicizing the accomplishments of the several thousand Reservists in the upper Mid-West. He also wrote speeches for the Readiness Commanders (Read Admirals and a Captain). From 1984 to 1987, Petty Officer Beal was assigned the duty as the Public Affairs Officer at Naval Air Station Atlanta. He was responsible for the publishing of a monthly news magazine, writing speeches, news releases, coordinating with a Reserve Public Affairs Unit and handling media queries. Beal was also responsible for the Blue Angel Air Show which attracted nearly 100,000 people in two days. From 1987 to 1991, Beal worked as Public Affairs Chief for Commander Naval Reserve Readiness Command Region 11 in Arlington, Texas. Besides writing speeches, publishing news magazine, news releases and media relations, Beal helped coordinate coverage of Hurricane Andrew in Miami, Florida by finding, securing funding and assigning a Naval Reservist to handle media relations for the Navy in the area. He also coordinated media coverage of units returning home from the 1st Desert Storm to Oklahoma City as well as a welcome home parade in Dallas. From 1991 to 1995, Beal finished his career as the Assistant Public Affairs Officer for the Commander Naval Reserve Force, Commander Surface Naval Reserve Force and Commander Naval Air Reserve Force in New Orleans. At one point, Senior Chief Beal was the acting Public Affairs Officer for several months reporting to two Admirals in New Orleans and an Admiral in Washington D.C. Senior Chief Beal retired from active duty on August 1, 1995. Immediately upon retirement, he began service as the Naval Science Instructor at Floyd Central High School Navy Junior ROTC. He has assisted nearly 900 cadets in becoming young leaders. Senior Chief Beal has earned the Meritorious Service Medal, Naval Reserve Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, 5 Navy Achievement Medals, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, four Navy Good Conduct Medals, and two National Defense Medals
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