U.S. Secret Services recently welcomed the first woman in history into the agency’s elite Motorcycle Support Unit.
Officer Alta Gunawan has been a passionate rider since she was 18 years old. She grew up in a small town of around 400 people, according to a press release from the Secret Service.
“I grew up in a small town of 400 people so I would take my motorcycle everywhere because I wanted to see everything,” Gunawan said for the press release. “My favorite ride was to Iowa, I would ride up and down the Mississippi river valley every chance I had.”
Last month, this brilliant young woman became the first female to successfully complete the highly demanding training required for becoming a member of the elite Secret Service team of motorcycle riders – the Motorcycle Support Unit.
This accomplishment has personal significance for Gunawan, and she hopes she has inspired both men and women to go after what they want and not give up until they reach their goal.
Uniformed Division Chief Thomas Sullivan says Gunawan is perfectly suited for the position, being dedicated, hardworking and forward-thinking.
The Motorcycle Support Unit course is not easy to complete. Only 50% of students become graduates after the two-week training.
The Secret Service Motorcycle Support Unit has added the first female to its ranks, talk about #FridayMotivation! Officer Gunawan, thank you for your dedication! Read about her achievements: https://t.co/l7PLTCIJCc pic.twitter.com/9wVv3xEQPF
— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) May 10, 2019
This demanding course has two purposes: to train future Uniformed Division Officers on familiarity with the motorcycle, but also on various motorcycle tactics, which is why only skillful drivers have a chance of passing it.
This wasn’t Gunawan’s first attempt to pass the course. She already did it previously but was unsuccessful. However, that hasn’t stopped her from training harder and trying again until she succeeded.
