Kammala wannan jumla: An ba Durfee izini a cikin Rundunar Sojoji ta 17 kuma an sanya shi a Fort D.A. Russell a Wyoming. Ya yi aiki a kan iyaka har zuwa 1893, kuma ya shiga cikin Ghost Dance War. Durfee ya yi aiki tare da bambanci a lokacin Siege na Santiago a matsayin na farko, kuma ya karbi Star Star don rawar da ya taka a cikin
Yaƙin El Caney. Tsakanin 1899 da 1905, Durfee ya tafi Philippines sau uku kuma ya yi aiki a kan ƙananan ƙananan kamfen da kuma na uku na Sulu Expedition. Durfee ya yi aiki a wurare da yawa a Amurka, ciki har da Fort McPherson, Fort Brady, Fort Wayne, da kuma kan iyaka da Mexico. Bayan kammala karatunsa daga Kwalejin Yakin Sojojin Amurka, Durfee ya kasance a cibiyar a matsayin mai koyarwa, kuma a 1918 ya zama wani ɓangare na Janar Janar kuma ya zama Shugaban Ma'aikata na Ma'aikatar Kudancin.