Hegseth awarded the servicemember who reprimanded him near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth awarded a medal on Thursday to the service member who reprimanded his group for making noise near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Veterans Day. CBS News reports, writes UNN.

Details

Hegseth posted a series of photos on social media platform X with Specialist Thomas Iglesias and other service members of the unit that guards the tomb around the clock at Arlington National Cemetery. In one of the photos, Hegseth pins a medal on Iglesias’s chest.

"We love the military. We value standards. Great job, Specialist," Hegseth wrote. "Keep it up, patriots."

A Pentagon spokesperson said that Hegseth "welcomed the U.S. 3rd Infantry Regiment—the Old Guard—to the Pentagon, where he ceremonially awarded Specialist Iglesias the Joint Service Commendation Medal for his performance of duty at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on November 11, 2026."

After the incident, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told CBS News: "The Secretary and the entire Department of Defense have always honored, and will always honor, the sacrifices our service members have made for America’s security. In commemorating this solemn day, the service member was entirely right and respectful in reminding everyone of the need to maintain proper conduct."

Service members who remind visitors to maintain proper conduct near the tomb are not uncommon. One member of the regiment guarding the memorial said in a 2022 interview with the U.S. Army that guards respond to crowd behavior two or three times a day.

Reminder

Iglesias guarded the Tomb after the Veterans Day event attended by Hegseth, President Donald Trump, and other administration officials. The video shows Hegseth, his wife, his chief of staff, and other aides posing for photographs near the tomb. Someone laughed, after which Iglesias said loudly: "All visitors must maintain silence and respect at all times."