A newspaper article at the time, upon hearing about Anderson's appointment, described him as an "exceptionally bright young man and a good student", further stating that "these qualifications count for much with the military authorities in charge of the school.".

[10] Anderson was subsequently assigned to the 6th Field Artillery Regiment and transferred to El Paso, Texas, with his unit, where he served on the Mexican border during the Pancho Villa Expedition in 1916.

[12] In the spring of 1918, Anderson served with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in Belgium at the Ypres Salient, which, he described in his diary on February 19, 1918, "the hottest place along the whole front."

[13] Before the attack, however, and over his objections, and those of both Major General Robert Lee Bullard, the new division commander (who had replaced Sibert many months before), and Brigadier General Charles P. Summerall, commanding the division's 1st Field Artillery Brigade, Anderson was ordered to return to the United States, specifically Washington, D.C., and to report to the Historical Section of the U.S. Army War College.

[14] Upon his completion of this, and after a brief leave to his home town of Parkersburg, he was sent to the Firing Center (now the U.S. Army Field Artillery School) at Fort Sill in Oklahoma.

[14] After brief occupation duties, Anderson returned to the United States in 1919 and was posted to the Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where John was appointed instructor at the local U.S. Army Field Artillery School.

John was subsequently appointed the instructor at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in this capacity.

[7] John Benjamin Anderson participated in the training with his division and served with it until December 1943, before handing over command of the 102nd to Major General Frank Keating.

In December 1943, the XVI Corps was activated at Fort Riley, Kansas, and John Benjamin Anderson assumed command in early January 1944.

[7][2] XVI Corps participated in the winter training exercises at Watersmeet Township, Michigan, and subsequently it was later deployed in the European Theater of Operations (ETO).

XVI Corps under John Benjamin Anderson's command liberated the Dutch city of Roermond and participated in the combats in the Ruhr Pocket.

John Benjamin Anderson was decorated for his leadership with the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit and Bronze Star by the United States government.