A reprimand, a medal

It was theatrical, Pete Hegseth’s latest encounter with military discipline. The man running America’s Department of War in a time of anything but peace (that US-Iran standoff in the Strait of Hormuz does not count) has discovered that even a defense secretary can be ordered to shut up.

On Veterans Day, Hegseth, his wife and several aides were taking photographs near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Someone in the entourage found something amusing enough to laugh out loud about.

That was not the place for stand-up comedy. No sir, that’s as hallowed a ground as any.

Army Specialist Thomas Iglesias, a sentinel of the elite Old Guard, promptly loudly reminded the group that all visitors shall maintain an atmosphere of silence and respect at all times.

The reprimand was magnificent because it was delivered without regard for rank, political connections, or television appearances. The Unknown Soldier, after all, outranks everybody.

And then came the PR stunt. A day later, Hegseth pinned a Joint Service Commendation Medal on Iglesias and posted the photos on X: “We love soldiers. We love standards.” That was not on anybody’s bingo card.

The internet had a field day. One commenter suggested using the phrase “damage control” in a sentence. Another asked whether this was the military equivalent of throwing the staff a pizza party. A particularly economical observation described the gesture as being “for an audience of one.”

Fair comments, all.

Donald Trump reportedly asked around whether he should fire Hegseth after the Republicans’ midterm trouncing, then quickly pivoted and told reporters he was doing “a very good job.”

That’s vintage Trump: find a fall guy, then deny it. Hegseth, handsome as he is, serves as the poster boy of everything that ails Trump’s government.

Is it just me or is there something curious about this sudden enthusiasm for standards from a man whose tenure has been marked by a remarkable appetite for firing senior military officials?

Let’s name some. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., Navy chief Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, and Defense Intelligence Agency chief Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse were among those removed or pushed out, along with the Army’s and Air Force’s top lawyers.

Even Sen. Mark Kelly, the retired Navy captain and astronaut, ended up in Hegseth’s crosshairs, censured over a video where he reminded the troops they could refuse illegal orders.

Here, I concede that rewarding a soldier for doing his job is the right thing to do. Iglesias deserves the recognition. But the medal does not erase the embarrassment for Hegseth.

In our backyard, we have our own versions of this political theater. One Cabinet official appears determined to cultivate the screen presence of an action-movie hero, complete with tough-guy posture and cinematic flair.

Another, who built roads and bridges before being sent back to transport, seems to believe that sprinkling profanity into inspection videos can substitute for a communications strategy.

Both might benefit from an encounter with an Arlington sentinel.

The lesson: public office is not a movie set, a television studio, or a personal stage. Government is not a performance art competition. Perhaps the Pentagon should retain Iglesias as a consultant. He might yet teach the Department of War something about discipline, starting with its boss.

As for their Filipino counterparts, electing the right president in 2028 would be a good start. After all, appointees are only as good as whoever picks them.