A soldier did his duty, and has been honored with an award from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
It is unusual in that the “duty” involved the soldier’s public reprimand of Hegseth and his entourage during a visit to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
A soldier scolded Pete Hegseth’s group for laughing at Arlington National Cemetery. Now, Hegseth is honoring him for it. Video captures Specialist Iglesias correcting the group near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, reminding visitors to maintain silence and show respect at all times. Rather than facing backlash for speaking up, Iglesias receives the Joint Service Commendation Medal as Hegseth welcomes members of the Army’s Old Guard to the Pentagon. Download the Fox News app or go to https://t.co/gPHiho5zni for more.
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 12, 2026
Hegseth presents an award to the soldier who loudly corrected his group at Arlington National Cemetery yesterday for a lack of decorum. The Pentagon said last night that the soldier acted correctly and did his job.
— Dan Lamothe (@DanLamothe) November 12, 2026
The reprimand came from a soldier, on duty, scolding, “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.”
Hegseth had been at the site with others on Veterans Day, and audio confirms an audible laugh coming from the group. It was not known who laughed.
But the result was clear:
The Defense Department confirmed that Hegseth, according to Military.com, “welcomed the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, the Old Guard, to the Pentagon ‘where he proudly awarded’ Specialist Thomas Iglesias the Joint Service Commendation Medal for the execution of his duties at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Nov. 11.”
“We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist,” Hegseth wrote on X, adding, “Carry on Patriots.”
The medal was given hours after on-scene video outside the Tomb captured the sentinel halting his walk, facing Hegseth’s party, and calling out, “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times,” Military.com reported.
The report said even before the medal, the Pentagon had backed the soldier.
Spokesman Sean Parnell said the soldier “correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum.”
The report said those sentinels on duty respond to crowds two or three times a day for similar situations.
