With the 10th Mountain Division, he served in the War in Afghanistan, leading a task force in Operation Anaconda.

[4] Townsend also earned a Master of Military Arts and Sciences (MMAS) degree at the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and a Master of Strategic Studies (MSS) degree at the Army War College.

Townsend was transferred to United States Pacific Command in Hawaii as J-5 Action Officer.

Townsend became commander of Task Force Polar Bear, deployed to Afghanistan during Operation Anaconda in 2002.

[8] Townsend was appointed commander of the 3d Brigade Combat Team, 2d Infantry Division[3] at Fort Lewis.

Townsend served in the same position for Combined Joint Task Force 101 during Operation Enduring Freedom.

[12] Townsend became commander of Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) – Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) on 21 August 2016, replacing Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland.

U.S. airstrikes killed tens of thousands of ISIL fighters and catalyzed enormous losses in territory for them.

[13] Under Townsend, the CJTF-OIR coalition together with allies from the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Iraqi Security Forces, and the Libyan Government of National Accord launched simultaneous successful offensives against ISIL's capitals in Syria, Iraq, and Libya respectively: the Raqqa campaign (2016–2017), the Battle of Mosul (2016–2017), and the Battle of Sirte (2016).

He leads a command responsible for building defense capabilities, responding to crises, deterring and defeating transnational threats in order to advance United States national interests and promote regional security, stability, and prosperity, all in concert with interagency and international partners.

In September 2022, upon his retirement, GEN Townsend was succeeded at AFRICOM by General Michael Langley of the United States Marine Corps.