Soldier who admonished Hegseth group at Arlington Cemetery awarded a medal
Also reported by CBS News, BBC World, PBS NewsHour, Guardian World, Newsweek, The Hill, France24
Summary
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth awarded Army Spc. Thomas Iglesias the Joint Service Commendation Medal on Nov. 12, 2026. Iglesias had admonished Hegseth’s group to remain silent after someone laughed following a photo at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during a Veterans Day visit.Key Facts
- Hegseth presented Iglesias with the Joint Service Commendation Medal at the Pentagon.
- Iglesias was serving as a sentinel at Arlington National Cemetery’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
- The incident followed a Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony that included President Donald Trump.
- Hegseth’s group posed for a photo near the tomb, and someone laughed as the group dispersed.
- Iglesias told visitors to maintain silence and respect, a standard instruction for people who disrupt the tomb’s decorum.
- Sentinels maintain a 24-hour watch at the tomb and enforce its silence requirement.
- Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Iglesias correctly and respectfully reminded visitors to maintain decorum.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
