During the Spanish–American War he was assigned as assistant adjutant of 1st Division, Second Army Corps and served at Camp Mackenzie near Augusta, Georgia.

After the war, Strong served as superintendent of Michigan Military Academy and performed duty in the Philippines.

[4] He graduated from Kalamazoo High School in 1876 and then began attendance at the United States Military Academy.

[5] After graduating from West Point, Strong remained on the school's faculty during the summer and fall of 1880 as an assistant instructor of tactics.

[5] In September 1881, he was assigned to duty at Fort Stevens, Oregon, and he transferred to Madison Barracks, New York in October 1881.

[5] He took part in an American Indian Wars campaign in 1890–1891 as the commander of a mounted artillery battery that performed duty with the 1st Cavalry Regiment.

[5] Strong served as acting inspector general of the Field Artillery branch and school from September 1904 to July 1907, first in Washington, D.C. and then at Fort Monroe.

[5] Strong was promoted to lieutenant colonel of Coast Artillery in July 1907 and assigned as adjutant of the Department of the Lakes, where he served until May 1, 1909.

[5] In August, four months after the American entry into World War I, Strong was promoted to temporary major general and assigned to command of the 40th Division, a recently created National Guard formation, during its organization and training at Camp Kearny, California.

[5] After the armistice with Germany ended the war in November 1918, Strong remained in command while the division moved to Castres-Gironde and awaited transportation to the United States.

[5] The 40th Division arrived in the United States on March 3, 1919, and proceeded to Camp Kearny, where it was demobilized on April 20, 1919.

[5] After returning to the United States after World War I, Strong commanded Camp Jackson, South Carolina from March to April 1919.

[5] From 1933 to 1934, Strong served on California's Relief Commission, an entity created to administer social welfare programs during the Great Depression.

[10][11] The younger Strong graduated at the top of the West Point class of 1910, served in the Army, and later pursued a business career in Detroit.