Despite success in the field and evaluation as a capable officer, Vitkauskas was demoted to commander of a company of the 7th Infantry Regiment on 2 August 1921. Minister of Defence Konstantinas Žukas though that Vitkauskas was a Bolshevik sympathizer. However, on 6 September, he was transferred to the staff of the Lithuanian Military Brigade (), a unit established in February 1920 to maintain public security. At the time, the brigade was commanded by Antanas Merkys, a friend from the Romanian Front, who trusted Vitkauskas to become his deputy. Vitkauskas officially became the commander of the brigade's staff on 12 October 1922. In December, he began studies at the Higher Officers' Courses in Kaunas but the studies were interrupted by the Klaipėda Revolt in January 1923. He was one of the Lithuanian soldiers sent to stage the revolt. Under the codename Vilius Kremeris, he was head of the administration of the rebel forces. In April, he was called to become commandant of Klaipėda. This position was also Merkys' doing – he was a secretary to Antanas Smetona, the Commissioner of the Klaipėda Region. A month later he was promoted to major.