Hegseth awards medal to soldier who reprimanded him and his assistants at Arlington Cemetery
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday awarded the soldier who reprimanded him and members of his team at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier a Joint Service Commendation Medal.
“We love Soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist,” Hegseth said in a social media post. “Keep going Patriots.”
A Pentagon official confirmed that Hegseth welcomed the 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, to the Pentagon “where he proudly awarded Specialist Iglesias the Joint Service Commendation Medal for the performance of his duties at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on November 11, 2026.”
CNN was the first to report the incident.
Hegseth, his wife, Chief of Staff Ricky Buria, Deputy Chief of Staff Patrick Weaver and Senior Advisor and Deputy Assistant Tami Radabaugh were taking photos at the graveside after a Veterans Day ceremony Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery when some members of the group were heard laughing and chatting after the photos were taken. The soldier patrolling the grave, Spc. Thomas Iglesias stopped walking and faced the group.
“All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times,” Iglesias called.
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Following the official 73rd National Veterans Day events at Arlington National Cemetery, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and his entourage were seen taking photos, some chatting and laughing before being chastised for maintaining respect by a U.S. Army sentry.
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Following the official 73rd National Veterans Day events at Arlington National Cemetery, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and his entourage were seen taking photos, some chatting and laughing before being chastised for maintaining respect by a U.S. Army sentry.
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A U.S. Army sentry guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier chastised Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his entourage Wednesday after some members of the group laughed and talked near the solemn memorial following a Veterans Day ceremony. “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times!” the sentry shouted, stopping his patrol to face the group as they left.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)” onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1080″ width=”1920″/>
Hegseth and his advisors reprimanded by a guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
A U.S. Army sentry guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier chastised Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his entourage Wednesday after some members of the group laughed and talked near the solemn memorial following a Veterans Day ceremony. “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times!” the sentry shouted, stopping his patrol to face the group as they left.” class=”image__dam-img image__dam-img–loading” onload=”this.classList.remove(‘image__dam-img–loading’)” onerror=”imageLoadError(this)” height=”1080″ width=”1920″ loading=”lazy”/>
Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell later said of the incident that the soldier “properly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum.”
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is one of the most sacred war monuments in the United States, and politicians, foreign dignitaries and other public figures frequently visit to pay their respects to America’s service members. It is normal, and not unprecedented, for the sentry guarding the tomb – a job delegated 24/7 to soldiers of the Old Guard since 1948 – to maintain an atmosphere of respect around the tomb by correcting visitors who speak too loudly.
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