According to the governor's office, Gordon served for one year as an enlisted member of the National Guard before becoming a Second Lieutenant in 1981. In 2009 she was promoted to Brigadier General and became a Major General in 2011. She currently serves as the civilian Executive Director of the National Guard Association of Alabama. Her previous duty assignments include Deputy Adjutant General of the Alabama National Guard (2011-2013), Commander of the 62nd Troop Command (2009-2011), and Garrison Commander of the Ft. McClellan Training Center (2007-2009).