Lieutenant Colonel Joshua L. Foxton grew up in Maryland, Japan, California, and New Jersey. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy and was commissioned in May 2009. Upon graduating from The Basic School in March 2010 with honors, he served as an Assistant Series Commander at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego. He then reported for flight training and earned his wings as a Naval Aviator in April 2012.
Following initial training in the CH-53E Super Stallion, he was assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 465 at MCAS Miramar, California, in October 2012. During this tour, he served in a variety of billets, including Assistant Maintenance Officer and Weapons and Tactics Instructor. He deployed with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (VMM-161 (REIN)) in 2015 and with HMH-465 on the Unit Deployment Program to Okinawa, Japan, in 2017.
In June 2018, Lieutenant Colonel Foxton was selected for the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. Upon graduation, he was assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron TWO ONE (HX-21) as a CH-53K Experimental Test Pilot. As the lead Project Officer for the first shipboard trials, his tour coincided with several program milestones for the CH-53K. His contributions to expanding the aircraft's operational envelope, which included the first CH-53K shipboard landing, were recognized with his selection as the 2020 Naval Test Wing Atlantic Test Pilot of the Year.
Returning to the fleet in August 2021, Lieutenant Colonel Foxton served as the Operations Officer for HMH-461 during its transition to the CH-53K King Stallion. As the Marine Corps' first fleet squadron to receive the new aircraft, this period was marked by the sundown of the legacy CH-53E and the operational stand-up of the CH-53K, a complex undertaking that prepared the unit for integration into advanced tactical training and led to the declaration of Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the CH-53K. Additionally, he continued to serve the test and acquisition communities through significant contributions to NATOPs development and shipboard certification testing.
In June 2023, he was assigned to Headquarters Marine Corps, Department of Aviation, as the Heavy Lift Capabilities & Requirements Lead. In this strategic role, he served as the principal advisor for all CH-53E/K life-cycle matters, shaping the future of Marine Corps heavy lift aviation. He managed a portfolio of 200 next-generation helicopters and a 14-billion-dollar budget, with planning and advocacy that led to critical service-level decisions, including reversal of a planned squadron deactivation, Reserve heavy lift modernization, and funding for essential sustainment facilities, thereby ensuring the long-term readiness and capability of the fleet. In May 2026, Lieutenant Colonel Foxton transferred to and currently serves as the Commanding Officer of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261, Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing, aboard Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina.
Lieutenant Colonel Foxton has accumulated over 2,000 mishap-free flight hours. He holds a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. His personal decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with one gold star, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two gold stars, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.