While enjoying moments of offensive glory, including scoring the winning points in a playoff game at Canton, South Williamsport’s Brandon Gantz’s three-sport athletic career was highlighted by his defensive performances as a linebacker and infielder for Mountaineer teams.

These days, Gantz’s defensive attributes are employed at a much higher level as a member of the United States Secret Service team stationed at the White House in Washington, D.C.

The son of Terri and Chris Gantz, Brandon matriculated at Lock Haven State University, where he graduated in 2016 with a Criminal Justice degree. Following graduation, he completed an internship with the U.S. Marshals while contemplating his future career path.

“I had always been interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement,” Gantz explained. “While in college, I wasn’t sure about the specific career path but was considering becoming a U.S. Marshal or possibly with the FBI. As things developed, I became interested in the Secret Service and followed that path.

“The process to join the Secret Service took about six months. I had been working out pretty hard, so I didn’t have to worry about the fitness part of it. There were a series of interviews I had to go through, followed by formal training.

“The training consisted of four months in Artesian, New Mexico, which consisted of law enforcement, physical training, control tactics, and weapons training, which was very much like boot camp training in the military. Following that, I spent three months in Maryland, where the training was more specific to Secret Service operations. There was an emphasis on learning the local laws for Washington, D.C., more detailed control tactics, and weapon qualification courses.”

The Secret Service ensures the safety of the president of the United States, the vice president of the United States, the president’s and vice president’s immediate families, former presidents, their spouses and their minor children under the age of 16, major presidential and vice-presidential candidates and their spouses, and visiting foreign heads of state. They also provide physical security for the White House Complex, the neighboring Treasury Department building, the vice president’s residence, and all foreign diplomatic missions in Washington, D.C.

Gantz is stationed in Washington and works primarily with general duties at the White House that involve enforcing laws. But as Christmas approaches, he has been assigned to duties at the Trump Towers in New York City.

“It is a general security assignment,” he explained. “Anyone who enters the building or has deliveries to the building must be screened.”

Asked to describe a typical day’s work at the White House, Gantz’s response seemed like any other worker talking about his job.

“It is the White House, but it is also where I work, so a typical day for me carries a routine, just like any other job someone would have. We deal with motorcades entering and leaving the premises, have duties when tours of the White House are taking place, perimeter control, and being constantly visual of anyone who may be breaking the law.”

Although he has never flown on Air Force One (“That is very specific. I have been standing right next to it, but have never been assigned duties to go aboard.”), he has been assigned to details guarding both President Trump and Vice President Pence as well as members of their families. During the months leading up to the November election, Gantz’s duties remained much the same, although he admitted, “I got in a lot more travel and a lot of overtime.”

“I am so proud of him,” admitted Brandon’s mother, Terri. “Last August, we attended Brandon’s graduation from his Secret Service trainings. Brandon was the only one from Pennsylvania, and most all the other graduates were from bigger cities. It made me step back a moment and say, ‘Wow, that is our kid.’ It is hard to describe, but it was so touching to see his name there in the White House.”

Asked how she felt watching events on television during the presidential campaign and wondering if Brandon might be there, Terri’s response presented a strong brotherly bond.

“Usually Brandon will tell D.J. (his brother who is a junior at South Williamsport) first about where he may be, and then we hear about it from D.J. But, yes, I do wonder where he is, and what he is doing. He has had many neat experiences, including going down to Florida for the space shuttle launch. There have been occasions when he has gone to sporting events when assigned to members of the president or vice president’s family. There have also been times when he was near some of the civil unrest things that were taking place. As a mother, I worried about that, but we are very proud of what he is doing.”

January will mark his third year with the Secret Service. Although his young career has provided many memorable moments, Gantz points to his general training aspects as times that have given him many personal memories and humorous occasions.

“There are a lot of funny memories with my classmates going through some tough times that we had to gut out together and work together as a team so we could get everyone to pass. For me, and I think for all of us, the achievement of graduating and, just like sports, doing it together as a team is something I’m really proud of.”

Just like he did while a Mountaineer, Brandon Gantz has become a valuable member of the Secret Service team.