Soldier who scolded Hegseth, aides at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier awarded medal

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave a top award to the service member who scolded him and his staff at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier following a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.

Soldier who scolded Hegseth awarded medal

Big picture view:

Hegseth awarded Spc. Thomas Iglesias with the Joint Service Commendation Medal "for the execution of his duties at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on November 11, 2026," the Pentagon said.

On Thursday, Hegseth posted photos on social media that show him pinning the award and shaking hands with a soldier. 

What they're saying:

"We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist," Hegseth wrote in the post.

Hegseth's group admonished for laughing at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The backstory:

The news comes one day after the guard admonished Hegseth’s group for laughing loudly after taking photos at the solemn memorial Wednesday.

RELATED: Watch: Hegseth's group admonished for laughing at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The incident happened following a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. 

Video shows the guard, known as a sentinel, yelling loudly at the group to "maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect" after one of the ladies laughed at the tomb. 

It was not immediately clear who among the group was laughing, or why.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell responded to FOX Local’s request for comment on the incident with the following statement:

"The Secretary and the entire Department have always honored—and will always honor—the sacrifices our military men and women have made to keep America safe. While commemorating this solemn day, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum."

The incident also comes a day after the House blocked a resolution to impeach Hegseth, halting an effort to remove the Pentagon chief for his conduct in office and his handling of the war in Iran.

What is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier?

Dig deeper:

Located in Arlington National Cemetery, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a national tribute to America’s unidentified and missing service members. There are currently three unidentified U.S. service members buried in the tomb: one from World War I, one from World War II and one from the Korean War. 

It’s guarded by a team of soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as sentinels from "The Old Guard," who take turns making sure the tomb is protected 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They also make sure visitors to the tomb are quiet and respect the sacred memorial. 

The Source: This article includes information from Arlington National Cemetery, The Associated Press, Pentagon Press Operations, and previous FOX Local reporting. Heather Miller contributed. This story was reported from Los Angeles.