He served in the Signal Corps of the U.S. Army during the Spanish–American War and was master electrician in the Signal Corps from 1904 to 1912. In 1912, he was appointed a Radio Inspector for the Department of Commerce, which had just been given authority over radio by the Radio Act of 1912.
During his time in the U.S. Army's Signal Corps during the Spanish–American War, he served as master electrician from 1904 to 1912. In 1912, he was appointed a radio inspector by the Department of Commerce, which had been granted authority over radio through the Radio Act of 1912.