Washington — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday awarded a medal to the soldier who reprimanded his group for make noise at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Veterans Day.
Hegseth posted a series of photos on
“We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, specialist,” Hegseth wrote. “Keep going Patriots.”
A Pentagon official said Hegseth “welcomed the U.S. 3rd Infantry Regiment, 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.”
Iglesias was guarding the tomb following a Veterans Day event attended by Hegseth, President Trump and other administration officials. The images showed Hegseth, his wife, his chief of staff and other aides posing for photos near the grave. Someone laughed and Iglesias shouted, “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.”
In the aftermath, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell told CBS News: “The Secretary and the entire Department have always honored – and always will honor – the sacrifices our military men and women have made to keep America safe. While commemorating this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum.
It is not uncommon for soldiers to remind visitors to maintain decorum at the tomb. A member of the regiment guarding the grave said in a 2022 Army interview that the sentries reacted to the crowds two or three times a day.
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