Washington (CNN) With her ponytail beneath her white helmet, her Sig Sauer .357 pistol on her side and her leather boots on, Officer Technician Alta "Lauren" Gunawan weaves in and out of traffic on her Harley Davidson, lights and sirens blaring as she clears the way for presidential motorcades as they traverse across the nation's capital.

It's a routine part of the job, but Gunawan's presence is unprecedented: she's the first woman to serve in the Motorcade Support Unit.

Gunawan is one of the newest members of the elite 14-person unit, which falls under the Uniformed Division of the Secret Service. The agency is made up of just over 7,000 special agents, officers and specialists who provide protection to the President, vice president and foreign dignitaries in addition to investigating financial crime.

Commonly referred to as "motors" by the Secret Service, the unit is responsible for spontaneously stopping traffic under pressure as the motorcade approaches in order for the protectee to safely pass.

Gunawan, 30, grew up in the 400-person town of Neponset, Illinois, one of three kids. She said she fell in love with motorcycles at the age of 18.

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