On Veterans Day, Defense/War Secretary Pete Hegseth was scolded by a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier guard while attending the wreath-laying ceremony at the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, along with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.Following the event, Pete Hegseth stood near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and took photographs with his wife, Jennifer Rauchet, his chief of staff, Ricky Buria, his deputy chief of staff, Patrick Weaver, and his senior advisor/deputy assistant, Tami Radabaugh.Following the photo-op, someone in the entourage laughed audibly while walking away from the Tomb and was reprimanded by a U.S. Army guard on duty. In the viral video, the sentinel was seen halting his patrol, facing the group, and saying loudly:“All visitors will maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.”While the identity of the guard remains undisclosed, he is a member of the 3rd Infantry Regiment or The Old Guard, which is assigned to the Tomb 24/7. The Old Guard has been serving since 1784 and is the oldest active-duty infantry unit.Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell shared a statement with CBS News:“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.”Pete Hegseth has yet to address the matter.More about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier guards amid Pete Hegseth controversyAccording to CNN, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is one of the most sacred war memorials located inside the Arlington National Cemetery, the largest cemetery in the U.S. National Cemetery System and one of two maintained by the U.S. Army. It is spread across 639 acres and is the final resting place of over 400,000 people, including unidentified American soldiers who died in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. The Vietnam War crypt has been empty since 1998, following the identification of 1st Lt. Michael J. Blassie.Military Times reports indicate that sentinels were first assigned to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in March 1926 for daytime. In July 1937, the American Legion demanded nonstop oversight and round-the-clock guards were assigned. Before that, the crypt of the World War I Unknown Soldier, who was buried in November 1921, remained unguarded until a civilian guard was posted during the day starting in November 1925.According to a federal regulation obtained by CNN, all national cemeteries under the watch of the United States Army require visitors to “observe proper standards of decorum and decency” and bar “disrespectful or disorderly conduct.” The standing rule applies to all visitors, regardless of designation, and on-duty sentinels enforce it against regular tourists more than two or three times a day.Besides U.S. government officials, foreign politicians, dignitaries, diplomats, public figures, and tourists frequently visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.According to tombguard.org, the soldiers who are assigned to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier are “hand-picked” and “rigorously trained.”“They have come from every state in the Union and represent every walk of life. They are men and women from many different backgrounds and specialties. For some, this is their first unit in the Army; others are veterans of many years. Over the years, there have been Regular Army soldiers as well as Draftees,” the description adds.Many soldiers who begin the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier guard training are often “unable to meet the standards.” Those who are selected are considered “elite of the elite” and have:“strong military bearing, discipline, stamina and present an outstanding soldierly appearance.”The website further states:“Each Sentinel must be able to flawlessly perform seven different types of walks, honors and ceremonies. They must retain vast amounts of knowledge concerning the Tomb, Arlington National Cemetery, the United States Army and their unit.”The eligibility criteria include a spotless service record and top physical fitness. The selection process includes a two-week tryout and interview comprising memorizing seven pages of the cemetery’s history word-for-word and knowing where roughly 300 veterans are buried, plus a hundred-question badge exam pulled from 300 memorized items, with a passing score above 95%.According to The Washington Times:“Those who pass earn the silver Tomb Guard Identification Badge, which becomes permanent after nine months of honorable service at the tomb. More than 600 soldiers have earned it since the late 1950s, according to Arlington.”The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier guards have two primary duties: to maintain the “highest standards and traditions” of the U.S. Army and the Nation while “keeping a constant vigil” at the site and to “prevent any desecration or disrespect” made toward the Tomb.The sentinels have the hardest job: standing watch at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. They hold ranks ranging from Private First Class (PFC) through Specialist (SPC), and their average age is 22. There are five other levels of responsibility: Assistant Relief Commander (ARC), Relief Commander (RC), Assistant Sergeant of the Guard (ASOG), Sergeant of the Guard (SOG), and Platoon Leader (PL) or Commander of the Guard (COG).It remains unknown whether Pete Hegseth made any noise or if it was someone else in the group. According to NBC News, the Defense Secretary turned around, faced the guard after being reprimanded for not maintaining “decorum,” but did not acknowledge him, as he and his group slowly walked away.Meanwhile, Fox News’ Senior White House Correspondent Peter Doocy noted during the live broadcast that the Pentagon stood by the guard’s reprimand to Pete Hegseth’s group to “pipe down.”“The Pentagon is telling us that Secretary Hegseth has always honored the sacrifices of military men and women and that today, a soldier correctly and respectfully reminded everyone to maintain decorum,” Doocy added.The federal regulation about the standard rules at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier also prohibits recreational activities such as sports, running, picnics, playing musical instruments, loudspeakers, or any audio devices without a headset. In 2024, Donald Trump was condemned for filming a presidential campaign video at the site.