18 Alex Van Hout - West Point Graduate, Army Combat Engineer Officer. Building Bridges in Bolivia

Summary: Alex Van Hout- West Point Graduate and Army Combat Engineer Officer. Alex deployed to Germany and Afghanistan, serving as a route clearance Platoon leader finishing his service at the rank of Captain. Alex earned a master's degree in transportation engineering, worked as an engineer in NYC, and today is leading pedestrian bridge building in Bolivia with Engineers In Action. If you're interested in learning more about the all-veteran bridge build that Engineers in Action is hosting in Bolivia in April 2025, please visit their Veterans' Build Page: https://www.eiabridges.org/veterans-build ➡︎ The VWB show is sponsored by: https://jet.build/ Mentions in This Video Alex's Info: ➡︎ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-van-hout-b4639536/ ➡︎ Business: https://www.eiabridges.org/celebrating-100-bridges ➡︎ Books: - The Road to Hell: https://a.co/d/g4ONzX4 (amazon) - Team of Rivals: https://a.co/d/4gY5F5W (amazon) - Grant: https://a.co/d/cKciIe6 (amazon) Subscribe To Our Podcast Here ➡︎ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKONY1n1qysTx2RiBiwj28QzLc8gI2oui ➡︎ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZizGddgHgKA4oimoLkNRc?si=cd7c0afd6b064292 ➡︎ Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/3Vt3rCE ➡︎ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vwbshow/ ➡︎ X: https://twitter.com/TheVWBShow ➡︎ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamstark512/ ➡︎ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/veterans-who-build ➡︎ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veteranswhobuild/ The Veterans Who Build Show ➡︎ At VWB, we are on a mission to provide a platform for Veterans to share their story, empower others for success, transition from Military to civilian to profession, chat translatable skills, professional and personal wins, and all things Built Environment The VWB Show Sponsors ➡︎ The VWB show is sponsored by @jetbuild ➡︎ Find more information on Jet.Build, here: www.jet.build ➡︎ Jet.Build is THE central command for RE development and construction project management software. Solutions range from project finance to stakeholder collaboration, construction operations, and data reporting with AI. Jet.Build is the better way to build Timecodes / Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Unique Location 03:52 Alex Van Hout's Background and Education 07:30 Applying to West Point and Choosing Civil Engineering 10:14 West Point Experience and Application Process 12:05 Training and Opportunities at West Point 14:36 Choosing Civil Engineering and Master's Degree 19:52 Deployment to Afghanistan and Route Clearance Missions 26:52 Working with Afghan Military and Police 29:09 Deployment Timeline and Missions in Afghanistan 35:53 Closing Out the Germany Base and Transitioning to Fort Jackson 41:05 Military Experience and Basic Training 48:04 Transitioning to Civilian Life and Grad School 59:16 Working in International Development 01:16:12 Finding Peace and Connection Through Music 01:21:04 Lessons in Leadership and Personal Growth 01:22:39 Jet.Build Sponsor