Joshua was born in Okinawa, Japan, and raised in Battle Creek, Michigan, where he built a strong foundation rooted in character and community. A 2001 graduate of Battle Creek Central High School, he was an honor student and a dedicated football player. Teachers and coaches remembered him as respectful, pleasant, and quietly inspirational. After he married and began raising a family, he prioritized them above all else, spending most of his time with them and creating a home filled with joy and love.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2001 and completed his basic and advanced training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Throughout his career, he served with distinction in a range of assignments, including two tours in Korea, stateside postings at Fort Leonard Wood and Fort Carson, and a nine-month deployment to Guantanamo Bay. He was later assigned to the 709th Military Police Battalion, part of the 18th Military Police Brigade under the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, based in Hohenfels, Germany. He completed a 15-month deployment to Iraq and deployed to Afghanistan in April 2011. On July 5, 2011, while serving in Paktia Province, he was killed when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device.

His legacy lives on through his wife, Leslie; his daughters, Kylie, Abigail, and Devan; and his extended family, friends, and comrades.