Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal to Army Specialist Thomas Iglesias, the soldier who publicly reprimanded him and his staff at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery following a Veterans Day ceremony. The honour is one of the higher awards in the military and is not typically issued to junior enlisted service members. Hegseth announced the award on social media on Thursday, posting photos of himself pinning the medal on the soldier and shaking his hand, with the message, "We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist." The Pentagon said Hegseth hosted members of the Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as "The Old Guard", at the Pentagon and awarded Iglesias the medal "for the execution of his duties at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on November 11, 2026".
The reprimand occurred when Hegseth, his wife Jennifer, chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh were posing for photographs on the empty steps in front of the tomb. A loud laugh was heard as the group talked and laughed, and Iglesias, who was patrolling the tomb, abruptly stopped, turned toward them and called out, "All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times." The group had visited the site after a ceremony attended by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who both laid wreaths and gave remarks, with Trump praising Hegseth's "fantastic job" as defense secretary. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the soldier "correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum".S1S2
The episode drew fresh attention to Hegseth, who had survived an impeachment attempt the day before. The effort was led by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie and backed by Democrats, and while it failed in Tuesday's vote, critics may only have delayed a renewed bid, since Democrats are set to take control of the House and Senate in January. Hegseth rebuked the move at his first news conference in months, arguing he had committed none of the high crimes required by the Constitution for removal and describing the effort as "sabotage" rather than patriotism.S1
Parnell said the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is one of the most sacred war memorials in the country, marking the final resting place of an unidentified soldier from the First World War, and that the Old Guard has maintained a round-the-clock watch over it since 1948. Part of that responsibility includes enforcing strict standards of silence and respect and correcting visitors whose behaviour disrupts the solemn atmosphere, according to the Pentagon's statement.S2
