A tomb guard shouted at Pete Hegseth’s group to keep silent at Arlington, and a day later Hegseth rewarded him for it

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal to Spc. Thomas Iglesias on Thursday, one day after the soldier called out Hegseth’s group for being loud at Arlington National Cemetery, as reported by NPR. Iglesias was on duty as a sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during a Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony when the moment happened.

Hegseth, his wife Jennifer Rauchet, and several staffers were visiting the memorial for the National Veterans Day Observance when a member of the group laughed loudly. Iglesias then yelled, “All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times!”

On Thursday, Hegseth invited Iglesias to the Pentagon and presented him with the medal for his performance of duties the previous day. “We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist. Carry on Patriots,” Hegseth wrote.

The Tomb has been under guard around the clock for nearly 90 years

Tomb Guards, known as Sentinels, are soldiers from the Army’s 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, which has protected the Tomb since 1948. The tradition of guarding the Tomb began in 1926 to keep people from desecrating the monument, and guards have been stationed there 24 hours a day since 1937, according to Britannica.

Soldiers who volunteer for the post must go through a strict selection process and intensive training. Sentinels provide security for the Tomb, lead ceremonies, and maintain the sanctity of the space.

Video of the sentinel’s warning spread quickly on social media, and critics questioned the group’s behavior at the site. Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore said on X, “Pete Hegseth continues to demonstrate his utter lack of fitness for his office. One day after narrowly avoiding impeachment, he shows his contempt for our men and women in uniform by disrespecting the sanctity of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.” Former GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger also criticized Hegseth and his group.

The Arlington visit came one day after Hegseth survived an impeachment effort in the House. Lawmakers voted 211 to 204 to send Rep. Thomas Massie’s impeachment resolution to the House Judiciary Committee, effectively killing it for now, and every Republican except Massie voted to send it to committee, per Fox News.

Massie’s eight articles of impeachment largely focused on the war with Iran. Some Republicans had reportedly blamed Hegseth for midterm losses, pointing to his role in pushing for the war. Hegseth called the impeachment effort a “political spectacle” at a Pentagon news conference before the vote.