What medals and ribbons did pete hegseth earn during iraq service?
Executive summary
Pete Hegseth’s publicly reported Iraq-era awards most consistently include two Bronze Star Medals and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge; multiple biographies and news profiles also list two Army Commendation Medals, the Expert Infantryman Badge, and service ribbons such as the National Defense Service Medal with a bronze star, though not all sources list every item the same way (e.g., two Bronze Stars and a CIB appear across Fox News, Ballotpedia, and congressional bios) [1][2][3].
1. The core: Bronze Stars and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge
Across his official bios and media profiles, Hegseth is repeatedly credited with two Bronze Star Medals and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge (CIB). Fox News’s biography and multiple congressional and government filings list “two Bronze Star Medals” and the CIB as part of his service awards tied to Iraq and Afghanistan [1][3]. Local and veteran-oriented writeups likewise describe at least one Bronze Star for his 2005–2006 infantry platoon tour in Iraq and note the CIB as evidence he served under enemy fire in that theater [4][5].
2. Additional decorations that appear in many but not all accounts
Several sources expand the list to include two Army Commendation Medals, the Joint Commendation Medal, the Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB), and the National Defense Service Medal with a bronze service star. The Space Force and Fox bios enumerate two Bronze Stars, a Joint Commendation, two Army Commendation Medals, the CIB and the EIB [6][1]. The Hill and Ballotpedia mention the National Defense Service Medal with a Bronze Service Star alongside the Bronze Stars and Army Commendations [7][2]. Variations in which specific ribbons or joint awards are listed reflect differing summaries across outlets [6][7].
3. Where reporting overlaps — and where it diverges
Major convergence across the available documents: two Bronze Star Medals and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge [1][3][5]. Divergence shows up around the presence and number of commendation medals, joint awards, and the listing of service ribbons. Some bios and advocacy sites emphasize the EIB and multiple commendations [6][1], while other profiles focus primarily on the Bronze Stars and CIB without enumerating every ribbon [5][8]. These discrepancies are typical when outlets condense military résumés or rely on different official biographies.
4. Context on what those awards signify
The Bronze Star is awarded for meritorious service or valor in a combat zone; reporting on Hegseth notes at least one Bronze Star was for his 2005–2006 Iraq platoon assignment and that Bronze Stars may be earned for meritorious service as well as valor [4]. The Combat Infantryman’s Badge is awarded only to infantry soldiers who engage in active ground combat, and outlets use Hegseth’s CIB to underscore his direct combat role in Iraq and Afghanistan [9][5]. Sources caution that Bronze Stars are common among officers who served in combat theaters, and commentators dispute the relative weight of such medals, with some critics downplaying and some colleagues defending the significance of Hegseth’s awards [10][4].
5. Questions left open by the available reporting
Official citation texts (the actual award narratives that describe why each medal was given) are not reproduced in the sources provided here; reporting references awards and sometimes a general context (e.g., “professionalism and commitment to excellence” for a Bronze Star during his Iraq tour) but does not attach full citation documents in these excerpts [4][3]. Available sources do not mention the complete, itemized military awards ledger from an official personnel file; therefore some variation across biographies is expected and not resolvable from the current reporting (not found in current reporting).
6. How to verify further (what records would settle discrepancies)
To definitively confirm each ribbon and the precise citations, the authoritative route is the service member’s Official Military Personnel File or the award citation texts that accompany Bronze Stars and commendations. The materials in this search are secondary — government bios, media profiles, and congressional testimony all list awards but not the primary award documents themselves [3][6]. For public vetting, reporters typically request and publish award citations or the OMPF; those documents are not attached to the sources provided here (not found in current reporting).
Summary conclusion: Multiple independent profiles and official bios consistently list two Bronze Stars and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge for Hegseth’s Iraq service; many but not all sources also list two Army Commendation Medals, the Expert Infantryman Badge, a Joint Commendation Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal with a bronze star — but the exact, item-by-item official record is not reproduced in the sources provided [1][2][6].