U.S. defense officer, who made a fuss at the national cemetery, awards a medal to a soldier who scolded him

U.S. Secretary of Defense (War) Pete Hegseth awarded a medal to a soldier who harshly scolded him and his companions for laughing and chatting inside a national cemetery where they were supposed to maintain reverence.

On the 12th (local time), Minister Hegseth posted a photo of awarding a medal to a soldier on

The person to whom Minister Hegseth bestowed the medal was Corporal Thomas Iglesias, a guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

Corporal Iglesias was patrolling when Secretary Hegseth and his party took pictures near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier after a commemorative event held at Arlington National Cemetery the day before Veterans Day.

When the photo shoot was over, some of Minister Hegses' party tried to leave, laughing and talking, and at this time, Corporal Iglesias shouted loudly at them, saying, "All visitors must always maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect."

This scene became a hot topic when it was caught on a broadcasting station camera, and as the vote was canceled in the Federal House of Representatives on the 10th, criticism poured in that Minister Hegseth, who had just escaped the crisis of impeachment, acted rashly in just one day.

Minister Hegseth appears to have attempted to reverse public opinion by awarding a medal to the soldier who harshly scolded his group.

According to the Associated Press, the decoration awarded to Corporal Iglesias is the Joint Service Medal (JSCM), which is the highest honor for a private soldier. AP explained that this medal, awarded by the Secretary of Defense, is a high rank within the U.S. military and is generally not awarded to lower-ranking soldiers.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, located at the highest point of Arlington National Cemetery, is where the remains of unidentified U.S. soldiers from World Wars I and II and the Korean War are buried.

This place maintains the most solemn and reverent atmosphere in Arlington National Cemetery, and is patrolled by guards from the US Army's 3rd Infantry Regiment armed with bayonets 24 hours a day without skipping a single day.