Lieutenant Colonel Burton enlisted in the Marine Corps in January of 2002 and attended recruit training at 1st Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, CA.  After graduating from his military occupations school (Basic Radio Operators Course) and receiving the 0621 designator, he checked-in to his reserve unit, 24th Marines out of Kansas City, MO.  Lieutenant Colonel Burton then applied for the Active Reserve program and was accepted and assigned as an Accounting Technician. 

In 2007, Lieutenant Colonel Burton was accepted for the Enlisted Commissioning Program and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in November 2007.  After The Basic School, he attended the Military Police Basic Officer Leadership Course and became a Military Police Officer in 2008. 

Lieutenant Colonel Burton was assigned as a Platoon Commander for the Incident Response Platoon, Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 and deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  During this deployment he also served as the Officer in Charge for the Police Mentoring Team in support of 2d Battalion, 3rd Marines.  He has commanded at the Company level: Company Commander, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing and Headquarters Company Commander: Marine Wing Support Group 37. 

Lieutenant Colonel Burton’s staff assignments include: Operations Officer, Deputy Provost Marshal, and Provost Marshal, Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, Okinawa, Japan;  Military Police Basic Officer Course Officer in Charge, Fort Leonard Wood, MO;  Executive Officer, 2d Law Enforcement Battalion, II MEF, Camp Lejeune, NC;  Protection Officer, Marine Forces Europe and Africa, Stuttgart, Germany; Executive Officer, Security & Emergency Services Battalion, MCIWEST-MCB Camp Pendleton, CA;  and AC/S Security & Emergency Services, MCIWEST-MCB Camp Pendleton, CA.