Lieutenant Colonel Ashton attended Pennsylvania State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Criminology in 2006. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in May 2006.
Upon completion of The Basic School, he attended Field Artillery Basic Officers Course at Fort Sill, OK. In September 2007, reported for duty with 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, first serving as a Provisional Civil Affairs Team Leader and deployed to Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. In 2008, upon return from deployment, he served as the Guns Platoon Commander and Battery Executive Officer for Battery G, 2/11. In 2009 he deployed as part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.
In 2010, LtCol Ashton was assigned to The Basic School and served as a Warfighting Instructor, Fire Support Primary Instructor, Staff Platoon Commander, Basic Officer Course Executive Officer, and the Testing and Evaluation Officer.
After graduating from the Marine Corps Expeditionary Warfare School in 2014, LtCol Ashton was assigned to 1st Battalion, 10th Marines. While at 1/10, he served as Battery Commander, Battery B. In October 2015, he was reassigned as the Battalion Fire Support Officer for 1st Battalion, 8th Marines and deployed to Romania as part of the BLACK SEA ROTATIONAL FORCE.
Upon return from deployment, LtCol Ashton executed orders in September 2016 to Camp Pendleton, CA, and reported to 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company as a Brigade Platoon Commander and the Operations Officer.
In 2019, he attended the Air Command and Staff College and graduated with a Masters of Military Operational Art and Science in June 2020. Upon graduation, LtCol Ashton executed orders to III Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, Japan. While in III MEF, he served as the Targeting Intelligence Officer within the G-2, the Targeting Officer within the Fires and Effects Coordination Center, and finally as the Deputy Fires and Effects Coordinator.