Grady O. (Jed) Morton was raised in the Blue Ridge foothills west of Walhalla, South Carolina. He graduated from Walhalla High School, the United States Air Force Academy (B.S., Applied Mathematics) and the Georgia State University College of Law (J.D., high honors).

Mr. Morton has over 26 years of continuous service protecting and defending America as a member of her armed forces. He currently holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force Reserve JAG Corps (military attorneys), but previously served nine years on active duty and three in the Air National Guard as an F-16 fighter pilot, instructor pilot, and mission commander. He has deployed eight times in support of global combat, contingency, and training operations, and is a veteran of armed aerial combat in Iraq and armed ground combat in Afghanistan. Lt Col Morton's decorations include the Bronze Star, four Air Medals, the Air Force Combat Action Medal, and the Combat Readiness Medal (x4). Lt Col Morton is among a handful of Air Force members to have been awarded the United States Army's Combat Action Badge for actively engaging the enemy during ground combat operations in Afghanistan. (More details here). Lt Col Morton is the 2010 Harmon Award winner, given annually to the most outstanding Judge Advocate in the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard.

Mr. Morton is also committed to giving back to his community.  In 2007, working closely with United States District Court Judge Jay Zainey (E.D. La.), Mr. Morton spearheaded an initiative that resulted in the first-ever establishment of a legal assistance clinic in a homeless shelter in Atlanta.  Since then Mr. Morton has devoted many hours of his own time helping homeless clients solve their legal problems.