Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth awarded a medal on Thursday to the U.S. Army sentinel who had admonished him and his aides for failing to observe proper decorum outside the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Veterans Day.
Hegseth welcomed members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard, to the Pentagon, where he pinned the Joint Service Commendation Medal on Specialist Thomas Iglesias, a Pentagon official confirmed. Hegseth posted a photo of the moment on social media, writing: "We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist. Carry on Patriots."
The day before, Iglesias was patrolling in front of the tomb at Arlington National Cemetery when Hegseth, his wife Jennifer, and senior aides — including chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh — were heard laughing and chatting after posing for photos following a Veterans Day ceremony. Iglesias stopped, turned to face the group and shouted: "All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times!"
Video of the rebuke spread quickly online. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said afterward that the soldier "correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum." The Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington was attended by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is one of the country's most sacred war memorials, the final resting place of unidentified service members from World War I, World War II and the Korean War. Sentinels from the Old Guard have guarded it around the clock since 1948.
The Joint Service Commendation Medal is considered one of the higher military awards and is not typically issued to junior enlisted service members. Hegseth awarded Iglesias the medal for the execution of his duties at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on November 11, 2026, the Pentagon said.
