Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - McRae akagadzwa muThird Infantry uye akaita basa romuganhu kubva muna 1886-1888. Mukati meHondo yeSpain neAmerica, akanga ari muHondo yeEl Caney
muCuba, uye akabatirawo muSanitary Corps, nokuda kwaakagamuchira rumbidzo yake yokutanga yeSilver Star. Akagamuchira Silver Star yake yechipiri panguva yePhilippine Insurrection uye akakurudzirwa kukwidziridzwa. Kubva muna 1905 kusvika muna 1908, akashanda muGeneral Staff, uye muna 1911, akapedza kudzidza kuUnited States Army War College. McRae akashanda muDhipatimendi reAdjutant General kubva muna 1913 kusvika muna 1917, uye musi waAugust 5, 1917, akasimudzirwa kuva brigadier general uye akatungamira 158th Depot Brigade kuCamp Sherman, Ohio. Mukuwedzera, akatungamirira Ninth Infantry Brigade ye Fifth Infantry Division. Akakwidziridzwa kuva mukuru mukuru musi waApril 12, 1918, uye akatungamirira 78th Infantry Division (AEF) kusvikira muna June 1919, apo yakasunungurwa. Nokuda kwaikoku, akawana menduru yebasa rinokosha. Mukati ma1921 na1922, akanga ari mutevedzeri womukuru, G-1 (vashandi).