Colonel Eric T. Litaker was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in May 1979. Upon completion of The Basic School and both the Field Artillery Officers' Basic Course and the Field Artillery Cannon Battery Officers' Course, he reported to Battery N, 4th Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, where he served as the Fire Direction Officer. In September 1981, he was reassigned to 2d Air and Naval Gunfire Liaison Company where he was assigned duties as a platoon commander and as the Parachute Operations Officer.

In June 1984, Colonel Litaker entered the Foreign Area Officer (FAO) program, attending the Russian Basic Course at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, and the United States Army Russian Institute in Garmisch, Germany. Upon completion of FAO training in 1986, he was transferred to the National Security Agency, Fort Meade, Maryland.

In August 1989, Colonel Litaker was reassigned to 2d Radio Battalion, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where he served as a company commander and as the battalion operations officer. In June 1992, he reported to the Naval Postgraduate School for participation in the Special Education Program. Upon graduation in December 1994, he received orders to Requirements Division, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico, Virginia.

Colonel Litaker assumed command of 2d Radio Battalion in June 1997 and relinquished command in June 1999. Upon completion of his command tour, he was reassigned as a student at the National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, DC. He graduated in June 2000 and was transferred to the Joint Forces Intelligence Command (JFIC), where he was assigned duties as the Director, Plans and Programs Directorate. In June 2001, Colonel Litaker was reassigned as the JFIC Director of Intelligence Operations, and in July 2001 he oversaw the formation of, and became the Director of, the Intelligence Directorate within JFIC.

CIn August 2002, Colonel Litaker assumed command of the Marine Corps Intelligence Activity, and he relinquished command in July 2004. Upon completion of this command tour, he was transferred to the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, where he was assigned duties as the Operations Officer. He assumed command of the NROTC Unit, UNL, in July 2006.

Colonel Litaker's personal awards include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with one gold star, the Navy Commendation Medal with one gold star, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon with two gold stars.