FAIRHOPE – Tyrel Northrop, a long time Fairhope City employee, joined the National Guard while still a student at Fairhope High School.

“When I joined the National Guard in 1990, I took advantage of a program where I did my basic training during the summer between my junior and senior year,” he explained. “Then when I graduated high school in 1991, I went right on to specialist school, which for me was an ammunition handler.” The following year, Northrop graduated from the Alabama Military Academy Primary Leadership Development Course; he later trained as Food Service Specialist, and was an honor graduate from the Army’s Basic Military Police course.

As a member of the 1165th Military Police unit at Fairhope’s Fort Riel Armory, Northrop was deployed on active duty to Iraq from March 2003 to September 2004. From February 2011 to February 2012, Northrop was NCO in charge of the armory while the unit was deployed to Afghanistan. Fairhope Veterans Committee Chairman Joe Birindelli notes that Northrop’s leadership training came in handy at this time.

“I was really impressed with how he handled all of that. He would get requests from the unit, from half a world away, and it might be for something they needed in Afghanistan or something one of their families needed here at home, and he would take care of it. I know some days he worked around the clock to make sure everyone in the unit and their families at home had what they needed. He did an amazing job with that, and he was always cheerful about it, no matter who he had to deal with.”

Thomas Odom, Sr., a past Fairhope Veteran of the Year, says he thinks of Northrop as a son. “He was raised up right, that’s all I can say. He is always willing to help in whatever that situation calls for. I know he’s a valuable employee for the City as well.”

Northrop was hired by the City of Fairhope in 1995, working first in public works before getting transferred to the natural gas department later that year. He served as a member of the Fairhope Volunteer Fire Department for nine years and graduated from the Alabama Fire College with course training in hazardous material and confined space rescue.

Along with his work with the FVFD, Northrop has been involved with the local Boy Scouts and with youth sports and other organizations. “I coached a year in baseball and my youngest boy has played football since he was nine. I’ve got one more year of youth football with him. My daughter was in the band, so I was a band parent as well.” Northrop is Lifetime member of VFW Post 5660, a member of Greeno Masonic Lodge #598, and on the board of trustees for South River Park Church of God and the Fairhope Youth Football League.

Northrop says others are more deserving of the Veteran of the Year designation than he is. “I know there are others who do more than I do, but it is a real honor to be recognized this way, and I’m humbled by it. My military career meant a lot to me, and I have deep respect for all veterans. I’m honored to represent them all and represent our country in this way.”

Northrop and his wife, Karyn, live in Fairhope with their three children: Emily is a student at Faulkner, Tyrel, Jr. (TJ) is a freshman at Fairhope High School, and Jakob is in 6th grade at Fairhope Middle School.

ADDITIONAL VETERANS ACTIVITIES

The City of Fairhope will honor its military veterans with a Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, November 5th. The parade will start at 10 a.m. and will begin and end at the Fairhope Civic Center. Participants include local veteran’s organizations, military vehicles, the Dogwood Trail Maids, local boy and Girl Scout troops, the Fairhope High School Band, the Daphne High School ROTC, the 1165th MP Company, the British Car Club and many other local groups. Leading the parade will be Fairhope’s 2016 Veteran of the Year. A light breakfast featuring the Center Stage Show Choir will be held before the parade begins at 8:30 a.m. in the Civic Center lobby for all veterans and parade participants.

The celebration will continue, on Friday, November 11th at 4:45 p.m. in Henry George Park. A sunset prayer service will be held at the Veteran’s Memorial, Tears of Sorry, Tears of Joy.

For more information on the parade or the sunset prayer service, call Paige Crawford at 251-929-1466.