In August 1948, BENNER was assigned to Task Force 38, the Pacific Mobile Striking Forces. Task Force 38 departed San Francisco, California, on 1 October 1948, and after a brief stop in Pearl Harbor, proceeded to Tsingtago. There, the force was divided. One half, including BENNER, returned to San Diego via Japan, Guam and Pearl Harbor, while the other half continued on around the world.

On 1 May 1949, BENNER, together with Destroyer Division 102, was transferred to the Atlantic Fleet. The cruise from San Diego to the east coast included stops at Panama and Guantanamo Bay. BENNER's homeport became Newport, Rhode Island, with the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard assigned as home yard.

BENNER operated under various task forces during three-reserve training cruises. During these cruises, visits were made to Poughkeepsie, New York, Washington, D.C. and Onariottotown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

In late 1950, BENNER was attached to the Mediterranean Sixth Fleet for six months of concentrated operations. Operations in 1951 and again in 1952 included tours with the Mediterranean Fleet; between times she made Reserve cruises, antisubmarine operations, training exercises, shipyard overhauls and refresher training periods.

In September 1952, BENNER voyaged to the Arctic Circle to take part in operation "Main brace" followed by two months in operation "Long step", both NATO operations.

June 1953, found the radar picket destroyer enroute to South America on the annual Midshipmen cruise. Ports visited on the month voyage were Santo, Brazil, Trinidad and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.