US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has presented the Joint Service Commendation Medal to Specialist Thomas Iglesias. This is the same soldier who, after the Veterans Day event, had instructed the Defense Minister and his colleagues present at Arlington National Cemetery to take care of the rules and serious environment there. After this incident, Iglesias' name came into discussion. Now, during the honor ceremony held at the Pentagon, Hegseth himself placed the medal on his chest and greeted him with a handshake. The Defense Minister also shared pictures of this occasion on social media. Expressing respect towards the soldiers, he said that discipline and following the set standards is important. In this way, the same soldier who some time ago had interrupted the minister and the people accompanying him to take care of the dignity of the memorial site, has now been given a special honor by the Defense Department.
Medal received at an event held at the Pentagon
According to the information given by the Pentagon, Hegseth had called the US Army soldiers deployed to protect the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to the Defense Headquarters. In the same program, Thomas Iglesias was given the Military Commendation Medal. This honor was given for the responsibility he played at the memorial site on 11 November 2026.
Hegseth shared photos of the ceremony on the Internet on Thursday. In these, he was seen putting a medal on Iglesias's uniform and shaking hands with him. In his post he expressed respect for the soldiers and praised the work of Iglesias.
After all, what did the soldier object to?
This incident happened after the Veterans Day program. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance were also present at that event. After the program was over, the Defense Minister along with his wife Jennifer and some officials of the department came near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to get photographs clicked.
He was also accompanied by Chief of Staff Ricky Buria, Deputy Chief of Staff Patrick Weaver and senior advisor Tammy Radabaugh. While taking pictures, a loud laughter was heard there. Iglesias, who was guarding the memorial, objected to this and reminded those present that the place was associated with the memory of fallen soldiers. Therefore, it is important to maintain seriousness and respect in behavior here.
Arlington's memorial holds special significance for the US military
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, located in Arlington National Cemetery, is one of America's major military monuments. Here, the remains of soldiers killed in World War I, World War II and the Korean War, who could not be identified, are kept.
This site is being continuously protected since 1948. The soldiers of the Third Infantry Regiment of the US Army, called 'The Old Guard', stand guard here round the clock. Their duty continues even in bad weather.
Junior rank soldier gets special honor
The Joint Service Commendation Medal is a major medal in the U.S. military honors system. It is considered remarkable that a soldier of the initial rank has received this award. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell also supported Iglesias' behavior after video of the incident surfaced. According to him, the soldier had rightly talked about maintaining the dignity of the memorial.
Impeachment initiative against Hegseth also under discussion
Amidst this development, the name of Defense Minister Hegseth is also in the headlines regarding another political matter. The initiative to start the impeachment process against him was taken by Republican MP Thomas Massey. Some Democratic lawmakers also supported the effort, but those pushing the proposal were unsuccessful in Tuesday's vote. According to the report, this issue may arise again if the position of Democrats changes in both houses of Congress in January.