Etched in History

Bryce Unterwagner ’23 will be watching history in the making up-close through his new role as a special agent with the Dignitary Protection Division for the United States Capitol Police in Washington, D.C. Unterwagner is following in the footsteps of his father who had a career in the United States Marshals Service. He will be carrying on the legacy of his father in ensuring the safety and protection of others.

Unterwagner was born in Dahlonega, Georgia. He moved to Virginia and lived there until he was 14, then moved to Brunswick, where he attended Glynn Academy. Unterwagner got is toes wet as a Mariner through the dual enrollment program while in high school. However, after graduating from high school, he attended Chattahoochee Technical College. When he realized he wanted to pursue a career in criminal justice, he transferred back to Coastal Georgia.

“I didn’t have anything set in my mind before criminal justice. I wanted to do graphic design, but it wasn’t set in stone. Then, it really hit me that I wanted to go into criminal justice and follow my dad’s footsteps,” he said.

Unterwagner chose Coastal not only because it was close to home, but also due to the partnership with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Brunswick.

“I was aware that a lot of professors from FLETC were adjunct professors at Coastal, plus it was my hometown,” he said. “I knew that the College had a good criminal justice program and great teachers—so I couldn’t go wrong with it.”

Unterwagner’s father was of great inspiration to him—so much so that he sought an internship with the U.S. Marshals Service office located in Savannah, Georgia. Senior Lecturer of Criminal Justice Cynthia Atwood was his academic advisor and professor for several courses. She said Unterwagner was the first student in the program to intern with the U.S. Marshals.

“In order to successfully complete this internship, Bryce enthusiastically jumped at the opportunity to drive twice a week from Brunswick to the Savannah USMS office,” Atwood said. “His dedication and enthusiasm are contagious, and his work ethic is unmatched.”

Unterwagner truly set himself apart during his time at the College. He contributed in the classroom, and possessed a maturity well beyond his age. He made a positive impact on his classmates, Atwood said, who looked to him for answers, guidance, humor, and good judgement. She described him as an all-around terrific student.

Becoming a Special Agent

Unterwagner earned a bachelor’s in criminal justice with a concentration in homeland security in May 2023. He said his time at Coastal helped prepare him for his new role as a special agent. The Dignitary Protection Division provides protection details for every leadership position in Congress, such as Speaker of the House, senators, House representatives, and former speakers.

“I feel like the degree that I got at Coastal laid the groundwork and helped me succeed, do exceptionally well in training, and be able to communicate well with others. There was a lot of public speaking involved because we have to talk to people every day. With my position, we do walk-throughs at sites and collaborate—which we did a lot at Coastal,” Unterwagner said.

He completed 28 weeks of training, some of which took place at FLETC in Brunswick. There were three months of criminal investigator training, which involved understanding federal law, undercover operations, and surveillance. His trainings also included learning District of Columbia code, a five-week protection phase, investigations phase, firearms training on different weapons systems, and driver training, where he practiced driving armored vehicles.

“There was a lot of training in a variety of different fields, but it was awesome. Current agents with the Capitol don’t have all those types of training, as we were the first-ever pilot program hired to go straight to agent,” he said. “Typically, with Capitol, they hire within the uniformed ranks to go to agent. We were the first-ever direct hires to go straight to the agent position. They made sure that we received everything that we needed to be trained for upfront. There are a lot of agents at the Capitol that don’t have all that training, and they’re trying to send them back through the program now. We were lucky.”

His favorite parts of training were learning about different weapons systems and driver training. He had the opportunity to work in a motorcade and observe how the drivers maneuver to stay synchronized. Unterwagner will be a part of a four to eight-person team assigned to a dignitary. He said it involves a lot of teamwork, preparation, and communication. He and his team have been trained to be aware of their environment and protect the dignitary—not just from possible attack, but also public embarrassment, such as trips or falls.

Making and Watching History

Unterwagner is greatly looking forward to what he’ll witness as a special agent at the nation’s capital.

“I’m looking forward to being a part of history. You always think about Congress as this faraway land in D.C. that makes all the laws in the country, but I’ll be up-close and see what happens on a daily basis inside the Capitol and inside all the office buildings. That’s what I’m looking forward to the most—being able to witness history and watch as the laws of our country unfold right in front of us,” he said.

Unterwagner’s dream agency to work for is the US Marshals Service like his father, but starting with the Capitol Police is “a phenomenal start,” he said. He feels that having a career in criminal justice and law enforcement is his calling.

“I want to make a better world for those around me, my future children, and those around my children. That’s what draws me to it. It’s what needs to be done, and it’s part of my bloodline and my lineage. I see it as keeping the community, the people around me, and the future safe,” he said.

Not only will Unterwagner witness history, but he’s already made history as the first recipient of the John Gibson Award. He received the award at the end of his training. On July 24, 1998, the U.S. Capitol building was attacked by a mentally ill, armed individual who took the lives of two members of federal law enforcement—United States Capitol Police officers Jacob Chestnut and Detective John Gibson. Gibson was assigned to the dignitary protection detail of then House Majority Whip Tom DeLay and was in DeLay’s suite of offices when he engaged the shooter. Gibson confronted the shooter and was mortally wounded. Chestnut and Gibson both received the tribute of lying in honor in the United States Capitol rotunda. They were the first police officers—and Chestnut was the first African American—to receive that honor.

“As a person going through dignitary training, you wanted to win that award that honors him. We were told that winners get to have their name as part of the memoriam in the Capitol. I really, really wanted it, and it was voted on by all the other trainees and the instructors,” he said. “When they called my name, I was in shock. I didn’t know what to think right there in that moment. Looking back on it, I’m just super grateful.”

There is currently a memorial for Chestnut and Gibson in the Capitol, but there are talks about moving it, Unterwagner said. When the new memorial is set up there will be an addition to it with the names of every winner of the John Gibson Award. Unterwagner’s name will be the first one on the plaque.

“It’s like being etched in history,” he said.

Atwood was very proud of Unterwagner’s honor.

“I am just so proud of Bryce—and so happy to see his early success with the United States Capitol Police. The combination of his work ethic, drive, dedication, and personality will carry him as far as he chooses,” she said. “This is not the last we will hear about Bryce Unterwagner. I am truly humbled to have played a small role in what I know will be an outstanding career.”

The John Gibson Award is just one of many that Unterwagner is sure to earn throughout his career. He already showed great promise when he received the Senior Criminal Justice Student Award at Honors Day in 2023. It was one of his favorite moments at Coastal.

“It really surprised me and made me feel grateful for the staff that I had teaching me—specifically Mrs. Atwood. She and I had a great relationship. I viewed her and her husband (James Atwood, assistant professor of criminal justice) as mentors,” he said. “It can’t be overstated enough just how much of an impact Mrs. Atwood had on me. She was and is amazing, and so is the entire criminal justice program. I cannot recommend them enough to anyone that is interested in it. They are fantastic people that definitely prepared me for this job.”

While Unterwagner is getting started as a special agent, he hopes that somewhere in the future he will work as a U.S. Marshal and eventually earn a master’s degree. He has his eye on a few institutions and is considering studying something in intelligence or international affairs. No matter where he goes, he is sure to have a long and successful career. Unterwagner has established a history of firsts, such as getting an internship with the U.S. Marshals Services in Savannah, being a part of the first cohort to be directly hired as special agents, and being the first recipient of the John Gibson Award. Atwood is a firm believer in his ability to do great things.  

In her nomination letter for Unterwagner to receive the Senior Criminal Justice Student Award, she wrote, “He is a truly exceptional young man who is committed to serving our nation in federal law enforcement. He has a strong moral compass. As a former Assistant Director (ret.) with the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC), I have had the privilege to teach, recruit, mentor, and promote hundreds of individuals. Rarely am I so confident of the future success of a young person. Should I be in the position to do so, I would hire Bryce at the first opportunity.”  

When he’s not busy protecting important dignitaries on Capitol Hill, Unterwagner and his wife Delainey take advantage of the outdoors. They live in Maryland and have access to an abundance of trails, parks, places to swim and other outdoor activities, which they love to enjoy.