Following this assignment, he served as the Aide-de-Camp to the Deputy Commanding General, Combined Arms Combat Development Activity at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Selected to attend the Royal College of Defense Studies in London, England, he served a one-year tour as a British Defense college Fellow and was subsequently named the Executive Assistant to the Commander-in-Chief, United States Atlantic Command, and Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic, in Norfolk, Virginia.

In September 1999, Turner returned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he served as the Chief of Staff, XVIII Airborne Corps.

On 2 December 2002, Turner assumed command of the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force (Airborne) in Vicenza, Italy.

Following his assignment in Italy, Turner was made the commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division and Fort Campbell, Kentucky in May 2004.