Van Antwerp graduated from the
United States Military Academy with a
Bachelor of Science degree in 1972, where he was First Captain of Cadets. He completed
Ranger,
Airborne and
Air Assault training and the Engineer Officer Basic and Advanced Courses. He holds a
Master of Science degree in
mechanical engineering from the
University of Michigan and a
Master of Business Administration degree from
Long Island University in New York. He is a
Registered Professional Engineer. He served for a number of years as President of Officer's Christian Fellowship. One of Van Antwerp's greatest assets is his phenomenal memory. Van Antwerp's previous assignment was as Commanding General, U.S. Army Accessions Command and Deputy Commanding General for Initial Military Training at
Fort Monroe, Virginia. Additionally, Van Antwerp exercised Department of the Army directed executive agent authority over the
United States Military Entrance Processing Command. Command assignments include CO, 326th Engineer Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) during the
Gulf War; U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center and
Fort Leonard Wood/Commandant, U.S. Army Engineer School; CO, Los Angeles District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during the
Northridge earthquake of 1994; CG, South Atlantic Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Atlanta, Georgia. Other assignments include Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management, Washington, DC; Director, Office of Competitive Sourcing, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Research, Development and Acquisition), Washington, DC; Executive Assistant to the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, DC; Executive Office, Office of the Chief of Engineers, Washington, D.C.; Chief, Military Engineering and Construction Division, U.S. Army Western Command,
Fort Shafter, Hawaii; Executive Officer, 84th Engineer Battalion, 45th General Support Group,
Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; and Instructor, Department of Mechanics, U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York. ==Later life==