Standards Maintained

Because it was everywhere, I imagine everyone saw the video of one of the Third Infantry Regiment sentinels reprimanding what turned out to be the Secretary of Defense and a group he was escorting through Arlington. I'm not sure the soldier knew who it was; the group's back had turned to him before he himself turned to address them. 

This happened at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is perhaps the only place that the United States attempts to use soldiers to enforce decorum on civilian visitors. This sort of thing is more commonly done in the UK, where the offense tends to be lèse-majesté by tourists outside of a royal palace. Here in the United States, we neither have nor want a king, but we do extend this sort of defense to that particular tomb. 

I was pleased to see that today the soldier in question was awarded a small but meaningful medal by Secretary Hegseth himself. Indeed, the sentinel had done exactly as his duty required, exactly as he was trained to do it. It is a job with a very intense amount of training, and it would have been improper to slight or punish him; but the powerful usually care more about themselves and their own pride. Hegseth showed some class by accepting the rebuke and reinforcing its appropriateness. 

Hegseth hosted the Third Infantry Regiment, also known as The Old Guard, to the Pentagon “where he proudly awarded Specialist Iglesias the Joint Service Commendation Medal for the execution of his duties at the Tomb of the unknown Soldier on November 11, 2026,” a Pentagon official told 6 Action News.

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said Iglesias “correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum.”

Discipline is the soul of the army.