[2] Several of his classmates would go on to become general officers in their careers, such as Omar Bundy, George H. Cameron, Harry C. Hale, George W. Read, John W. Heard, Ira A. Haynes, Samson L. Faison, William C. Langfitt, Robert D. Walsh, Lawrence Tyson, Charles G. Morton, Tyree R. Rivers, John W. Ruckman, Isaac Littell and Clarence R. Edwards.

Following his graduation from the U.S.M.A., Kennedy was commissioned into the Third Infantry with which he performed frontier duty from 1883 to 1895,[2] during which he participated in campaigns against the Kutenai, Crow and Sioux.

[1] Still with the 3rd Infantry Regiment at the outbreak of the Spanish–American War, Kennedy saw action in Cuba and took part in the Battle of El Caney.

[1] After the Spanish defeat in 1898, Kennedy returned to the United States to take part in campaigns against the Leech Lake Indians in the fall of the same year, this time with the 8th Infantry.

[1] On 23 August 1917, Kennedy took command of the 78th Infantry Division at Camp Dix, NJ, before deploying with the American Expeditionary Forces in December 1917.