As far as Lord of the Rings goes, yes, Erkenbrand is a bit of an incomplete and distant character. UT however has quite a lot to say about him, as well as the military organistion of Rohan wholly.
This is what is says.
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Marshal of the Mark was the highest military rank abd the title of the king's lieutenants (originally three), commanders of the royal forces of fully equipped and trained Riders. The First Marshal's ward was the capital, Edoras, and the adjacent King's Lands (including Harrowdale). He commanded the Riders of the Muster of Edoras, drawn from this ward, and from some parts of the West-mark and East-mark for which Edoras was the most convenient place of assembly. The Second and Third Marshals were assigned commands according to the needs of the time.
In the beginning of the year 3019 the threat from Saruman was the most urgent, and the Second Marshall, the King's son Theodred, had command over the West-mark with his base at Helm's Deep; abd the Third Marshal, the King's nephew Eomer, had as his his ward the East-mark with his base at his home, Aldburg in the Folde.
In the days of Theoden there was no man appointed to the office of First Marshal. He came to the throne as a young man at the age of thirty-two, vigorous and of martial spirit, and a great horseman. If war came he would himself command the muster of Edoras; but his kingdom was at peace for many years, and he rode with his knights and his Muster only on excercises and in displays; though the shadow of Mordor reawakened grew ever greater from his childhood into his old age. In this peace the Riders and other armed men of the garrison of Edoras were governed by an officer fo the rank of marshal (in the years 3012-19 this was Elfhelm). When Theoden became, as it seemed, prematurely old, this situation continued, and there was no effective central command: a state of affairs encouraged by his consellor Grima. The King, becoming decrepit and seldom leaving his hose, fell into the habit of issuing orders to Hama, Captain of his household, to Elfhelm and even to the Marshals of the Mark by the mouth of Grima Wormtongue. This was resented, but the orders were oveyed within Edoras. As far as fighting was concerned, when the war with Saruman began Theodred without orders assumed general comman. He summoned a muster of Edoras, and drew away a large part of the Riders, under Elfhelm, to strengthem the Muster of Westfold and help it to resist the invasion.
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After the fall of Theodred command in the West-Mark (again without orders from Edoras) was assumed by Erkenbrand, Lord of Deeping-coomb and of much other land in Westfold. He had in youth been, as most lords, an officer in the King's Riders, but he was no longer. He was however the chief lord in the West-mark, and since its people were in peril it was his right and duty to gather all those among them able to bear arms to resist invasion. He thus took command also of the Riders of the Western Muster; but Elfhelm remained in independent command of the Riders of the Muster of Edoras that Theodred had summoned to his assistance.
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Eomer, the Marshal of the West-mark, was of course at this time in Edoras and patrolling the East -- soon to lead, with Theoden, the Muster of Westfold and of the remaining knights of the King's Lands to reinforce the men at the Fords.
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It is recorded that after Theoden's funeral, when eomer reordered his realm, Erkendbrand was made Marshal of the West-mark, and Elfhelm Marshal of the East-mark, and these titles were maintained, instead of Second and Third Marshal, neither having precedance over the other. In time of war a special appointment was made to the office of Underking: its holder either ruled the realm in the King's abscence with the army, or took command in the field if the King for and reason remained at home... The holerder was naturally heir to the throne.
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That's what Erkenbrand was, anyway, if it answers your question.
The skirmishes around Rohan seem at this time to be mainly with Dunland, as described in UT also. Attacks were made, in the time of Deor, on the guard of the Fords in order to distract attention from northward; in Isengard, the Dunlendings had unbeknownst to the Rohirrim siezed control and were admitting a stream of Dunlendings in to Northern Rohan. Deor put a stop to the Dunland settlers when he realised what was happening, but Orthanc was unable to be taken -- no help from Gondor came either, as they were pressed at that time by the Corsairs I believe -- and the Dunledings had to be starved out.
Afterwards, I would guess, the skirmished with Dunland continued along the border. Saruman however held Isengard securely. Orcs from Dol Guldor began to maraud soon after Angrenost was reclaimed, and after this there was the war with Saruman. Hmmm... the previous long war with Dunland was interesting as well, detailed in UT (pretty comprehensive of this period really), when Rohan was nearly vanquished.