Pari gbolohun ti o tẹle: Gowon darapọ mọ Ẹgbẹ ọmọ ogun Naijiria ni ọdun 1954, o si gba igbimọ rẹ gẹgẹbi igbakeji keji ni Oṣu Kẹwa Ọjọ 19, Ọdun 1955, ọjọ-ibi ọdun 21 rẹ. Ó gba ìdánilẹ́kọ̀ọ́ ní Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, UK (1955<unk>56), Staff College, Camberley, UK (1962) àti Joint Staff College, Latimer, 1965. Ó rí ìgbésẹ̀ nínú
Congo gẹgẹ bi ara ti United Nations Peacekeeping Force, mejeeji ni 1960<unk>61 ati ni 1963. O ti ni ilọsiwaju si ipo olori batalionu nipasẹ ọdun 1966, ni akoko yẹn o tun jẹ alaga agba.