Union Members, Including Track Equip Maintainer and Car Inspector Deployed to DC with National Guard

TWU Local 100 members are heroes moving heroes in NYC – and citizen soldiers on the front lines of Democracy in Washington, D.C. Transit workers like Track Equipment Maintainer Ricky Tyson Jr. and Car Inspector Fritzner Neptune also are in the National Guard and have been deployed the capital for the inauguration of President-elect Joseph Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

With last week’s storming of the Capitol Building, and the potential for more insurrectionist violence, it’s an inauguration week unlike any other in modern history. “This is very different,” Sgt. Tyson, who was deployed for President Obama’s inauguration in 2009, said. “Last time we were pretty much doing traffic duty. Now, everyone is armed up. Since the insurgency, it’s pretty crazy.”

Tyson, 44, and Neptune, 36 are both sergeants in the 107th Military Police Company out of Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn. Tyson is transporting soldiers to and from their posts. Neptune is working a security detail.
“I’m doing my duty,” Tyson said. “Everyone I work with has an important role.” Tyson has an extensive military background. He served four years in the U.S. Army, two years in the Army Reserves and has been in the National Guard for approximately 13 years. He completed two tours in Iraq. Neptune, who emigrated from Haiti, has been in the National Guard for seven years.

This is his first deployment for a presidential inauguration but like Tyson he’s been deployed multiple times to emergencies, including the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico in September 2017 and the subway pipe bombing in Manhattan in December of that year. “Wherever they need us, we are there,” Neptune said.