Military flag reported stolen from home

Linda Wyatt is proud of her son Tra’s service in the Army. Naturally, she was upset when she discovered that someone had stolen the flag in front of her home honoring her son’s military service. The symbolic flag has a red border with a blue star in the middle of a white rectangle. Wyatt said the single blue star on the flag represents a family member who is serving in the military. “It’s a unique flag. It’s a flag that the Army gives to serving military families,” said Lt. M.T. Frazier of the Eden Police Department. Frazier said he did not know the meaning of the flag prior to the theft, but the flag could have significance to someone who has served in the military. Wyatt said she believes the person who stole the flag just “took it to take it,” thinking the homeowner wouldn’t report the theft to police and he/she probably wouldn’t be caught. But Wyatt reported to police last Sunday morning that the flag had been stolen from her South Fieldcrest Road home. Frazier said police have a suspect in the case, but no arrests have been made. Wyatt said the flag had special significance because it represents the military service of Tra, 28, who is serving his second tour of duty in Iraq, and it was given to her by a local DAV member. She said she plans to put up another flag as soon as she can get her hands on one. “I’ve had a lot of outcry by veterans who have been upset about it. I’ve had a lot of people make comments about it,” said Wyatt. She said a local man who is a veteran got teary-eyed when he started with her about the flag. Although she is upset that her flag was stolen, Wyatt said she is glad the theft has helped spread awareness about the flag’s meaning. “We got blessings out of it (the experience),” she said. “At least now, people, when they see that flag flying, they’ll know what that flag means.” Wyatt’s patriotism extends beyond her own family into the community. She is the coordinator of Draper’s annual Veterans Day parade, in which Draper Elementary School students “adopt” a veteran for a day and march down the streets of Draper Village wearing red, white and blue.