Follow-Up: Hegseth Awards Medal to the Tomb Sentinel Who Reprimanded His Group at Arlington

On November 12, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth welcomed members of the Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, to the Pentagon and awarded Specialist Thomas Iglesias the Joint Service Commendation Medal. A Pentagon official said the medal recognized Iglesias "for the execution of his duties at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on November 11, 2026." Iglesias is the sentinel who, a day earlier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, loudly reminded Hegseth's group to maintain silence and respect.

Hegseth posted photos on X of himself pinning the medal on Iglesias, writing: "We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist." According to The Associated Press, the Joint Service Commendation Medal is among the higher-level commendation awards and is not typically presented to junior enlisted service members.

After the Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony on November 11, Hegseth posed for photos at the Tomb with his wife Jennifer, chief of staff Ricky Buria, deputy chief of staff Patrick Weaver and senior adviser Tami Radabaugh, and laughter and chatting were heard from the group. Iglesias, who was patrolling in front of the Tomb, stopped, faced the group and called out the sentinels' standard command: "All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times." Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said that day that the soldier "correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum." The footage does not establish who laughed.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery holds the remains of unidentified fallen service members and has been guarded around the clock by Old Guard sentinels since 1948. Sentinels are charged with preserving the solemn atmosphere at the memorial and routinely correct visitors several times a day. (Source: U.S. Department of Defense)

Related: Sentinel Calls Out Hegseth's Group for Noise at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier After the Veterans Day Ceremony

Source: U.S. Department of Defense

Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)

Photo: 图：国防部长 Pete Hegseth 官方肖像。美国国防部，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Official portrait of U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. U.S. Department of Defense, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

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