ordered to Houston, Texas, for recruiting duty. He was ordered for expeditionary duty in Santo Domingo in February 1922 and participated in the anti-guerilla operations with 2nd Marine Brigade under Colonel Harry Lee. He was later attached to the Dominican Constabulary, Policia Nacional Dominicana, and served as an instructor until October 1923. Following his return, Howard was attached to the Paymaster's Department and served as assistant paymaster in the Philadelphia Office. He remained in that capacity until October 1924, when he was ordered to the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico for Field Officers Course from which he graduated the following spring. Upon the completion of the course, Howard sailed for Panama Canal Zone, where he served with the Marine barracks at Submarine Base Coco Solo until December 1928. He was subsequently attached to the Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C., and promoted to the rank of major in June 1929. Howard was ordered to the Army Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in August 1932 and graduated in May of the following year. He was then ordered to the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico and served as an instructor until the June 1935, when he was ordered to the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He was meanwhile promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in March 1935 and graduated from the Senior Course in June 1936. He then returned to the Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C. and was attached to the special board, headed by lieutenant colonel Keller E. Rockey to revise the Tentative Landing Operations Manual, which was later published as Landing Operations Doctrine. During May 1937, Howard was transferred to the staff of United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, as the senior Marine officer in the Naval Training Squadron, the summer training sessions for the Naval Academy. He was later appointed Atlantic Squadron officer under Rear Admiral Alfred Wilkinson Johnson and took part in the patrol cruises in the Atlantic Ocean aboard battleship USS New York. In December 1938, Howard was selected by Commandant of the Marine Corps, Thomas Holcomb, for the capacity of Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico and subsequently relieved on admiral Johnson's staff by Major Benjamin W. Gally. Howard served as deputy to brigadier generals James T. Buttrick and Philip H. Torrey and ultimately was appointed commandant of the schools in January 1941. He was meanwhile promoted