Colonel Wilkerson is from Knoxville, TN, and graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, SC, in February 1996. He served as a reservist Combat Engineer in Company D, 4th Combat Engineer Battalion in Knoxville.
In August 1999 Colonel Wilkerson graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science in Communications. In February 2000, he augmented from reserves to active duty and was assigned as a corporal to 7th Engineer Support Battalion, Camp Pendleton, CA. In April 2001, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant via the Enlisted Commissioning Program. After completing The Basic School, he was assigned to Camp Johnson, NC, for training as an Adjutant.
Colonel Wilkerson returned to Camp Pendleton in February 2002, where he served as the Battalion Adjutant, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. He deployed with the battalion in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and 2004.
In the fall of 2004, Colonel Wilkerson reported to 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Okinawa, Japan, for duties as the Wing Adjutant. While at 1st MAW, he subsequently served as the Protocol Officer and as Aide-de-Camp to the commanding general. Following his assignment at 1st MAW, he was assigned in 2006 to Manpower Management Division, Manpower and Reserve Affairs Department, Quantico, VA. During this time Colonel Wilkerson served as the Admin Officer to the Director, Manpower Management Division.
In summer of 2009, Colonel Wilkerson transferred to the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps at The George Washington University, Washington, DC, to serve as the Marine Officer Instructor. He completed a summer as a platoon commander at Officer Candidates School, Quantico, VA, as part of this assignment.
Following his duties as MOI, Colonel Wilkerson reported to Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, in Honolulu, HI, in summer 2012. He served as the G-1 Exercises and Plans Officer, acting as the Pacific Command's surrogate lead for Joint manpower planning for major bilateral and combined exercises in the Philippines and Thailand, among other planning duties.
In July 2015, Colonel Wilkerson returned to Okinawa, Japan. While there, he was assigned as the III Marine Expeditionary Force G-1 Operations Officer.
Colonel Wilkerson transferred to Monterey, CA, in June 2016 where he served as Executive Officer, Marine Corps Detachment, Defense Language Institute. In January 2017, he began studies in National Security Affairs (Sub- Saharan Africa) at the Naval Postgraduate School. Upon graduation in June 2018, he was assigned as G-5 Africa Regional Plans Branch Chief, at Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa in Stuttgart, Germany.
In July 2021, Colonel Wilkerson was assigned as Marine Corps Logistics Command Assistant Chief of Staff, G-1, in Albany, Georgia from July 2021 to July 2023. From July 2023 to May 2024, he attended the Air War College in Montgomery, AL. Upon completion of his graduate studies, Colonel Wilkerson transferred to Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa, where he currently served as the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-1 through October 2025. He is currently the Chief of Staff.
Colonel Wilkerson's decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal (three gold stars), the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (two gold stars), the Combat Action Ribbon, and the Presidential Unit Citation. he was proffered a Master of Arts in National Security Affairs (Sub-Saharan Africa) and a Masters Certificate in National Security Affairs (East Asia). He holds a Master of Arts in National Security Affairs (Sub-Saharan Africa) and a Masters Certificate in National Security Affairs (East Asia) from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a Master of Security Studies from the Air War College. Colonel Wilkerson is also a designated Regional Affairs Officer for Sub-Saharan Africa, Northeast Asia, and Southeast Asia.