Kammala wannan jumla: Merritt ya kasance mai kula da 'yan kallo lokacin da ya shiga Michigan National Guard a 1910. A shekara ta 1913 an ba Merritt girma zuwa corporal. An ba Merritt izini a matsayin mataimakin mataimakin a watan Mayu 1914. Merritt ya yi aiki a kan iyakar Texas-Mexico a lokacin da Pershing ya yi horo a kan
Pancho Villa, kuma ya taimaka wajen kafa rundunar bindiga ta farko. Duk da yake a Texas ya kafa tawagar farko ta Scout.