Captain Girton is currently an Assistant Professor of Law at the U.S. Naval Academy. A native and childhood resident of Columbia, Maryland, he graduated from Wilde Lake High School. In May 1999, Captain Girton graduated from Emory University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps on 10 August 2001 after his successful completion of Officer Candidates School (OCS) in Quantico, Virginia. Captain Girton graduated from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law in May 2003 and was licensed to practice law in Maryland in December 2003.

Following his graduation from law school, Captain Girton completed his six-month platoon level infantry training regimen at The Basic School (TBS) in Quantico, Virginia. Thereafter, Captain Girton graduated with honors from Naval Justice School (NJS) in Newport, Rhode Island in December 2004 and reported to the Legal Services Center, Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH) in January 2005.

Upon arrival onboard MCBH, Captain Girton was assigned as a Legal Assistance attorney and served in that capacity for approximately 10 months. In November 2005, Captain Girton assumed duties as the Battalion Judge Advocate for 3d Battalion, 3d Marine Regiment (3d Bn, 3d Mar), and completed a seven-month deployment in Al-Anbar Province, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF 05-07) between March and October 2006. Upon his re-deployment to MCBH, Captain Girton served as a Trial Counsel for approximately two (2) years, as well as assuming the responsibilities of the Installation Law Officer. Captain Girton has served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Leadership, Ethics, and Law at the U.S. Naval Academy since July 2008.

Captain Girton's personal awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

Captain Girton is married to the former Miss Laura Elizabeth Williams of Rochester, New York and they have one child, Zachariah Paul Girton.