When Army Specialist Thomas Iglesias raised his voice at Pete Hegseth and his entourage, the moment quickly spread across social media.
The young soldier reminded the defense secretary and his group to show respect at one of America’s most sacred military memorials.
But there is an important detail many people may have missed.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery is meant to be a place of silence, reflection and remembrance.
But over the past few days, the sacred memorial has found itself at the center of an unexpected media storm after a young soldier publicly reprimanded Pete Hegseth and his entourage for talking and laughing near the tomb.
The incident took place on Veterans Day, November 11, after Hegseth attended a ceremony at the cemetery alongside President Donald Trump and other officials.
Following the event, Hegseth, his wife Jennifer and several members of his staff stopped to take photographs near the tomb. As the group gathered on the memorial steps, people could be heard talking, and someone appeared to laugh.
That was when Iglesias, who was standing guard, stopped and turned toward them.
”All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times,” he called out.
The footage quickly went viral, with many people taking to social media to praise Iglesias and call him brave. But what he did was not necessarily extraordinary.
Why they march exactly 21 steps
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is no ordinary monument.
It honors unidentified American service members who gave their lives in war. And the soldiers assigned to guard it carry a responsibility that goes far beyond simply standing watch.
Members of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as The Old Guard, have protected the tomb around the clock since 1948.
Day and night, a sentinel stands watch at Arlington National Cemetery, following a ritual that demands absolute precision and discipline. They do not smile, slouch or flinch as they march back and forth in front of the memorial.
”The only time you talk is when someone is misbehaving,” former Tomb Guard Ed Tatum recalled in a 2023 interview.
Each sentinel marches exactly 21 steps along a rubber mat before turning, pausing for 21 seconds and repeating the ritual.
The number of steps is said to symbolize the 21-gun salute, one of the highest honors that can be bestowed in a military ceremony or in recognition of a foreign dignitary.
The ritual honors America’s unidentified fallen from World War I, World War II and the Korean War, as well as those missing from the Vietnam War, represented by an empty crypt.
How to be a good Tomb Guard
A guard’s shift lasts one hour, or 30 minutes during the summer, before they are relieved in a formal changing-of-the-guard ceremony.
”A good Tomb Guard is out there not letting their minds wander. They’re thinking about looking their best to honor the Unknowns,” explained Staff Sgt. Chadwick Winget, Relief Commander, in 2022.
Earning the right to take on this responsibility is no easy feat.
Becoming a Tomb Guard is considered one of the most demanding ceremonial assignments in the U.S. Army. Candidates must first serve with the 3rd Infantry Regiment before volunteering for the prestigious position.
Women were first allowed to volunteer for the position in 1994, when a female military police unit became attached to The Old Guard.
Those who make it to the selection process face an intense evaluation. During a two-week trial, they must memorize seven pages of Arlington National Cemetery’s history and recite them word for word.
And that’s only the beginning.
Aspiring sentinels must also pass a 100-question examination, with questions randomly selected from a pool of 300. They need to score above 95 percent to pass.
The training that follows can take between six and nine months. During that time, candidates must master every step, movement and detail of the guard ceremony.
The standards are so demanding that only a small fraction of those who volunteer ultimately earn the coveted Tomb Guard Identification Badge.
But their duties do not end with the ceremonial watch.
”These guys will all tell you, every single one of them, they will tell you they don’t do it for the badge,” Captain Jean J. Gwon said of the Honor Guard Badge.
”It’s always for the unknown.”
How often they have to remind visitors
The selected soldiers are also responsible for maintaining an atmosphere of solemnity around the tomb. That means reminding visitors to remain quiet and correcting anyone who becomes too loud or fails to show proper respect.
And according to a former member of the regiment, this is far from an occasional occurrence.
In a 2022 Army interview, the former member explained that sentinels have to intervene with visitors around two or three times a day.
”It’s usually just them being oblivious,” he explained. ”They’re talking and not realizing how loud they’re being, or laughing or making jokes amongst their group. It detracts from the other people that are trying to pay their respects.”
In a 2017 interview, former Tomb Guard Paul Basso explained that telling visitors to be quiet is part of the job, although it is not a major problem.
He said that incidents occasionally happen, particularly during the summer months when large crowds gather at the memorial.
”If there’s a disrespectful or disturbing atmosphere or someone tries to violate the post by climbing over the chains, the guard will stop and issue a verbal warning,” Paul said.
Almost always, that is enough to make people behave.
He also pointed out that such incidents have happened throughout the history of the Tomb Guard, but modern technology means that more of these encounters are now being recorded and shared online.
Surprising turn after the video went viral
The footage of Hegseth and the guard prompted widespread discussion, with many people praising Iglesias for carrying out his duty without regard for the rank or influence of those standing before him.
The Pentagon also defended the soldier’s actions.
Chief spokesman Sean Parnell said Iglesias had ”correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum.”
Then came an unexpected development.
Just one day after the incident, Hegseth invited members of The Old Guard to the Pentagon and personally presented Iglesias with the Joint Service Commendation Medal.
Sharing photographs of the ceremony, Hegseth wrote: ”We love soldiers. We love standards. Well done, Specialist. Carry on Patriots.”
The moment that had started with a public reminder about respect had ended with the soldier receiving recognition from the very man he had corrected.
And perhaps that is what makes the story so compelling.
At a memorial built to honor those who sacrificed everything for their country, one young soldier showed that the rules of respect are not supposed to change depending on who is watching.
READ MORE
- Pete Hegseth’s three-word remark to soldier sparks backlash
- Doctor explains low testosterone symptoms after Pete Hegseth orders mandatory military testing
