Lieutenant Colonel Ayers enlisted in the Marine Corps in November 1995 after graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Louisiana Tech University.
Upon graduating from recruit training and the School of Infantry, he was assigned to 1st Reconnaissance Company, Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California in April 1996. As a member of 1st Reconnaissance Company he served as an assistant radio operator with 1st platoon and an assistant team leader with 5th platoon. During this time he deployed twice to the Persian Gulf with a Marine Expeditionary Unit.
In 2000, Lieutenant Colonel Ayers was selected on the Enlisted Commissioning Program Board to attend Officer Candidates School. Upon graduation from Officer Candidate School he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.
After attending The Basic School and the Infantry Officer Course, Lieutenant Colonel Ayers reported to 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, Camp Pendleton, California in April 2001. While a member of 1/4 he served as a rifle platoon commander and company executive officer and deployed twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).
In February 2004, Lieutenant Colonel Ayers reported to Quantico, Virginia where he served as the Reconnaissance and Special Skills Officer, G-3, Training and Education Command (TECOM). After serving on the staff for two years, Lieutenant Colonel Ayers was selected to attend Expeditionary Warfare School (EWS).
In February 2007, Lieutenant Colonel Ayers reported to 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, Twenty-Nine Palms, California where he served as the Company Commander, Headquarters and Service Company, and deployed to Ramadi, Iraq in support of OIF. Post company command, he reported to 1st Marine Expeditionary Force and served as the Team Chief for Military Transition Team (MiTT) 0732 in 2008 and subsequently redeployed to Al Qaim, Iraq as a Battalion Overwatch MiTT alongside three Iraqi Army Battalions from the 28th Brigade, 7th Iraqi Division.
In February 2009, Lieutenant Colonel Ayers was assigned to Officer Candidates School where he served as a company commander and operations officer before being selected as the Aide-de-Camp for the Deputy Commandant, Combat Development and Integration (DC, CD&I) / Commanding General, Marine Corps Combat Development Command (CG, MCCDC).
In August 2011, Lieutenant Colonel Ayers was assigned to the Joint Staff where he served as the Assistant Deputy Director for Operations, Operations Team Four, Operations Directorate in the National Military Command Center.
From August 2014 to June 2015, Lieutenant Colonel Ayers attended and graduated from Marine Corps Command and Staff College.
In August 2015, Lieutenant Colonel Ayers was assigned to 3d Reconnaissance Battalion, 3d Marine Division, Okinawa, Japan where he served as the Battalion Executive Officer.
His personal awards include the Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with gold star, Navy Commendation Medal with combat distinguishing device and gold star, and the Combat Action Ribbon.