Colonel Acosta currently serves as the Chief Defense Counsel of the Marine Corps. A native of El Paso, Texas, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in 2003. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso and University of Wisconsin - Madison.
After completing Naval Justice School, Colonel Acosta served as a legal assistance attorney and defense counsel at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. In 2010, he deployed with 3d Battalion, 5th Marines to the Sangin District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM 10.2. Upon redeployment in 2011, he was assigned as Senior Trial Counsel, Legal Services Support Section - Camp Pendleton.
Colonel Acosta then transferred to Judge Advocate Division, Headquarters Marine Corps. While serving on the SJA to CMC’s Staff, he was assigned as a Deputy Branch Head for the Judge Advocate Support and Operational Law Branches.
After earning a Master of Laws in National Security Studies from Georgetown University, Colonel Acosta was assigned as Staff Judge Advocate, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, where he deployed with Amphibious Ready Group 5/11th MEU in support of WESTERN PACIFIC DEPLOYMENT 16.2 and various operations within United States Indo-Pacific, Central and Africa Commands.
Colonel Acosta later served as Senior Defense Counsel, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar; Regional Defense Counsel, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton; and Administrative and Operational Law Attorney, Office of Legal Counsel, U.S. Africa Command.
In 2022, he was selected for Top Level School and assigned to the Federal Public Defender's Office in Charlotte, North Carolina, followed by assignments at HQMC as the Defense Services Organization’s Operations Officer and Deputy Chief Defense Counsel.