Ka cika wannan jumla: An haife shi a Trenton, New Jersey, Schwarzkopf ya girma a Amurka kuma daga baya a Iran. An karbe shi ne daga Kwalejin Sojojin Amurka kuma an ba shi izini a matsayin na biyu a cikin Sojojin Amurka a shekarar 1956. Bayan wasu shirye-shiryen horo na farko, Schwarzkopf ya katse wani lokaci a matsayin malamin makarantar kuma ya yi aiki a yakin Vietnam, da farko a matsayin mai ba da shawara ga Sojojin Kudancin Vietnam sannan kuma a matsayin kwamandan bataliya. Schwarzkopf an yi masa ado sosai a Vietnam kuma an ba shi kyautar Taurari na Azurfa guda uku, Zuciya biyu na Purple, da Legion of Merit. Da yake hawa ta cikin sahu bayan yakin Vietnam, daga baya ya umurci rundunar soji ta 24 da aka yi da makamai kuma ya kasance daya daga cikin kwamandojin rundunar soji ta Vietnam.
mamaye Grenada a shekarar 1983.