Veteran: “It is a symbol of our country.”

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — “I feel mostly they are stomping on me, because the flag represents me,” says William Chick, Veteran. It was under the American flag that William Chick says he served 23 years in the United States Air Force and Air Force Reserves. “In the time that I grew up in the 40’s and 50’s, you know serving our country was a very proud thing,” says Chick. The medals he earned while serving, now sit atop a shelf in his Chapin home. “As a young boy with no direction, I wanted to serve my country,” says Chick. A country he says is represented by the stars and stripes on the American flag. The same flag at the center of controversy after Chapin High teacher, Scott Compton, reportedly stomped on it during an English lesson. “This is my country and your stomping it means you are trying to do harm to my country,” says Chick. Tuesday, chick showed us the very flag involve in the reported incident. “It is a symbol of our country, it’s something that we can all as the saying goes rally around the flag,” says Chick. And that is exactly what the Chapin community is doing. Just last night, Chick’s fellow American Legion members, parents, students and school officials attended a Lexington-Richland District 5 School Board meeting concerning the issue. “This is our country and you have desecrated it by stomping on it,” says Chick. Chick says the thing to do now is dispose of the glag in a proper manner. “Those of us who have served in the military, we served under this flag, we did it in the name of protecting our country,” says Chick. Members of the American Legion are currently working with Chapin High School officials to plan ceremony, Chick hopes with the JROTC, to properly dispose of the flag.