Honoring Staff Sergeant and Eagle Scout David Wyatt

It is with a very heavy heart we reflect on the recent event in Chattanooga and the tragic loss of four Marines and one sailor who represent the best about our country.  Each and every day the women and men who volunteer as soldiers, sailors, airmen, coastguardsmen and Marines, along with their families, serve this nation giving us a debt that can’t be repaid.    

Today, the Boy Scouts of America honors Staff Sergeant David Wyatt who is celebrated for his compassion, good nature, and dedication to both our nation and his fellow Marines.  We remember Wyatt as an American hero and an esteemed Eagle Scout.

This week, Wyatt’s sister told CBS’s THV11 that Wyatt becoming an Eagle Scout was “a great honor to his family.” In a CBS News tribute to the Chattanooga shooting victims, Wyatt’s Scoutmaster, Tony Ward, shared how the young Scout would race his friends up mountains. Ward’s son and Wyatt were good friends and worked at Boy Scout camp together.

His youth leadership set the precedent for the rest of Wyatt’s life. After the 9/11 attacks, Wyatt’s patriotism lead him to join the United States Marine Corps where he served two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.  After returning to the United States, Wyatt proved to be a mentor for fellow Marines.

Husband and father to two young children, Wyatt modeled the way for his Cub Scout son, whose Pack is dedicated to helping the family in any way possible.  

Staff  Sergeant David Wyatt will be buried with full military honors at the Chattanooga National Cemetery, a fitting tribute to this hero and Eagle Scout. Scouts from the Cherokee Area Council will help honor him Friday. 

If you are a Scout or Scouter in the Chattanooga area who would like to participate, watch for updates in the near future on the Cherokee Area Council’s site. Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers.