The Man Behind the Music
John Schembari
John Schembari is a Vietnam War veteran who served with the U.S. Army 1st Cavalry Division as an air cavalry Aero Scout, a former foster child, an entrepreneur, a patriotic songwriter, and an author. His life is the American Dream, and he shares it through every song and every story he writes.
- Vietnam Veteran
- 1st Cavalry Division
- Air Cavalry Aero Scout
- Foster Child
- Songwriter
- Author
- American Dreamer
My name is John Schembari and I am a Vietnam veteran, a foster child, a business owner, a consultant, and most importantly, I am an American Dreamer.
I have always had visions. In my dreams I am solving problems, coming up with new concepts and thus I began to live life through my dreams as well as living life with gratitude. Dreaming and solving problems has become the most important goal in my life.
Growing up as a foster child, I learned early that life doesn't always give you what you want, but it always gives you what you need to grow. I started working at 7 years old, and I never stopped. That work ethic, that drive, that belief in something greater. That's the American Dream.
When I came back from Vietnam, I brought with me a profound appreciation for this country and the freedoms we so often take for granted. I channeled that gratitude into building businesses, raising a family, and eventually, writing music and books.
My music and my writing are my story. It's the story of every veteran who came home changed. Every dreamer who refused to quit. Every American who still believes in the promise of this great nation. I write songs and tell my story because I believe music and words can heal, inspire, and remind us of who we are.
In Country
My Service in Vietnam
I served in Vietnam for one year, and in that year I served in two different units. I went over as a direct assignment to Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry. That was the ground I started on, with the 1st Cavalry Division.
From there I moved into aviation and kept my place in the Cavalry as an Aero Scout. Later I served with F Troop on what we called Night CAP operations, and I was placed on a hunter-killer team. The job there was the plainest and the hardest there is: to find the enemy, and to engage.
I do not tell that part of my story for medals or for headlines. I tell it because it is true, and because it is the foundation under every song I have written and every page I have penned since. You do not serve a year like that and come home thinking freedom is free. Somebody paid for the ordinary morning the rest of us get to wake up and dream.
Service Record
- Direct Assignment
Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry
Where John's tour began: on the ground with the 1st Cavalry Division.
- Aero Scout
Aviation, Air Cavalry
John transferred into aviation and continued his Cavalry role as an Aero Scout.
- Night CAP Operations
F Troop
John went on to serve with F Troop on what he calls Night CAP operations.
- Locate & Engage
Hunter-Killer Team
John was placed on a hunter-killer team, locating and engaging enemy forces in combat operations.
From His Own Collection
Photos From Vietnam
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What These Roles Were
A few notes on the units and roles in John's account above, given as general military history, not as a record of any one soldier's actions.
The 1st Cavalry Division
Nicknamed “The First Team,” the 1st Cavalry Division was the U.S. Army's first airmobile division, reorganized in 1965 to fight by helicopter. In Vietnam it pioneered airmobile warfare, using hundreds of helicopters to move troops, scout ahead, evacuate the wounded, and bring firepower to the battlefield.
Garryowen: the 7th Cavalry
The 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry belongs to the historic 7th Cavalry Regiment, nicknamed “Garryowen” after the Irish marching tune it adopted in the 1860s. In Vietnam its companies, Alpha through Delta, served as airmobile infantry within the 1st Cavalry Division.
What an Aero Scout did
Aero Scouts were the air cavalry's reconnaissance crews. Generally they flew a small observation helicopter low and slow, out ahead of the unit, to find the enemy, check landing zones, and read the signs of recent activity on the ground. Because it meant flying low, slow, and exposed, scouting was among the most dangerous flying jobs of the war.
The hunter-killer team
A hunter-killer team, often called a “Pink Team,” generally paired a low-flying scout helicopter that found and marked the enemy (the hunter) with an attack gunship circling above, ready to strike (the killer). The white of the scout and the red of the gunship are where the “pink” nickname came from.
What Drives John
Core Values
Patriotism
A deep love for America and everything it represents: freedom, opportunity, and the courage to dream.
Service
Having served a year in Vietnam with the 1st Cavalry Division, on the ground and in the air as an Aero Scout, John understands the true cost of freedom and honors all who have served.
Gratitude
Living life with gratitude is at the core of John's philosophy, thankful for every opportunity and every day.
Words & Music
Original songs and written stories that share real experiences of sacrifice, hope, resilience, and the enduring American spirit.
A Life Well Lived
John's Journey
- 1950s
Born and raised as a foster child, learning resilience from an early age.
- 1960s
Served a year in Vietnam with the U.S. Army 1st Cavalry Division: first on the ground with Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, then in the air as an Aero Scout on a hunter-killer team.
- 1970s
Returned home and began building his life as an entrepreneur and dreamer.
- 1980s
Founded his first business, turning visions into reality.
- 1990s
25 years of development work, building products and companies.
- 2000s
Began writing original patriotic songs drawn from his life and service.
- 2010s
Started sharing his story with the world, in song and in writing.
- Today
Writing songs and books, releasing new music regularly, and inspiring others to pursue their American Dream.
Experience John's Music
Stream his original songs, patriotic anthems, and inspirational music, all in one place, and it keeps playing as you browse.
Listen to the Music