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US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has awarded a military commendation to the soldier who scolded him and members of his staff for talking and laughing at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during a Veterans Day visit to Arlington Cemetery. Specialist Thomas Iglesias, who serves with the US Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard, received the Joint Service Commendation Medal from Hegseth on Thursday.
This followed an incident at the cemetery a day earlier, when Iglesias stepped in after Hegseth, his wife and several senior aides were heard talking and laughing while posing for photographs near the tomb.
Hegseth later presented the medal to Iglesias at the Pentagon, praising the soldier for maintaining the standards expected at one of America's most solemn military memorials.
"We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist," Hegseth said in a social media post. "Carry on Patriots."
SOLDIER SCHOOLS HEGSETH'S ON DECORUM
The incident unfolded after a Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony attended by President Donald Trump, Vice-President JD Vance and other senior US officials. Hegseth was taking photographs with his wife, chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser and deputy assistant Tami Radabaugh in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Video from the scene showed members of the group talking and laughing after the photographs were taken. Iglesias, who was serving as the sentinel on duty, then stopped, turned towards the group and issued a firm reminder.
"All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times," Iglesias called out. The Pentagon later defended the soldier's intervention, saying he had acted properly and respectfully.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Iglesias had "correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum". The Pentagon subsequently said Hegseth welcomed members of the Old Guard to the Pentagon and presented Iglesias with the medal "for the execution of his duties at the Tomb of the unknown Soldier on November 11, 2026".
Photos released by Hegseth showed him handing the medal to Iglesias alongside other members of the Old Guard.
WHY THE SOLDIER REPRIMANDED HEGSETH
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is among the most revered military memorials in the US. It honours unidentified American service members who died in war, including an unknown soldier from World War I.
The site is guarded around the clock by soldiers from the Old Guard, a tradition that has continued since 1948. Visitors are expected to maintain silence and behave respectfully around the tomb. The sentinel's role is not simply ceremonial. Guards are expected to intervene when visitors violate the rules governing conduct at the memorial.
It is therefore not unusual for sentinels to correct visitors who become too loud or fail to observe the expected decorum.
In this case, however, the person being reminded was not an ordinary visitor. Hegseth is the US defence secretary and one of the most senior officials in the country's military establishment.
TRUMP ALSO PRAISES HEGSETH
The incident came as Hegseth remains under political pressure over his role as defence secretary. Trump, who attended the Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington earlier in the day, praised Hegseth during his speech and said he had done a "fantastic job" as defence secretary.
The US President has repeatedly defended Hegseth as Democratic lawmakers have pushed efforts to remove him from office.
An attempt on Tuesday to impeach Hegseth over accusations that he pursued military action against Iran without congressional authorisation failed in the House. Hegseth dismissed the effort as a "farce" and called it a "political stunt".
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