Brees served with the 2nd Artillery at Tampa, Florida until August 4, 1898, when he accompanied Battery K of that regiment to Fort Constitution, New Hampshire, commanding it until 24 November 1898.

He was promoted to captain on 30 November 1904, and attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth until July 1, 1905.

He returned to the United States by way of Europe on June 5, 1910, and served at Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont, in connection with the selection of a cavalry rifle team, until July 19, 1910.

Brees then rejoined Troop M, 1st Cavalry, at the Presidio of San Francisco, and served with it at that station until 27 September 1910, and at Fort Duchesne, Utah, until December 3, 1911.

From December 1911 until September 1914, Brees served as Aide to Major General Arthur Murray, Headquarters Western Division, San Francisco, California.

Brees' decorations during World War I Included the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, and the French Legion of Honor.

General Brees served with distinction as Chief of Staff of the 91st Division throughout its training period and during the greater part of its active operations.

Later, as Chief of Staff of the VII Army Corps, he rendered invaluable services in perfecting the necessary organization for the march into the German territory, overcoming grave difficulties in securing supplies and equipment.

43, W.D., 1918), Colonel (Cavalry) Herbert Jay Brees, United States Army, is cited for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him.

While serving as Chief of Staff, 91st Division, he personally visited the extreme front lines under intense artillery, rifle, and machine gun fire to confer with unit commanders.

[3]After a brief stint as Range Officer, Inter-Allied Rifle and Pistol Competition, Belgian Camp, Le Mans, France, Brees returned to the United States on July 6, 1919.

Pershing recovered, however, and did not die until July 15, 1948, in Washington, D.C. Brees commanded the Third United States Army as a lieutenant general from October 1940 until he reached mandatory retirement age in May 1941.

In 1940, Brees served as Chief Controller for the U.S. military's large-scale training maneuvers in Louisiana, and played an important role in the changing the tactics and strategy used in Europe during World War II by showing that the tendency of mechanized units to use road networks during maneuver made them vulnerable to blitzkrieg style attacks by an enemy that left the roads and used the terrain to its advantage.

During World War II Brees Field was the destination for B-24 bombers that brought crews to the University of Wyoming recreation camp in the Snowy Range for rest and recuperation.