What awards or citations did Pete Hegseth receive for his military service?

1. The headline awards: two Bronze Stars and combat badges

Multiple biographies and Department of Defense–linked pages list two Bronze Star Medals as central to Hegseth’s service record; those same sources also record the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and the Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB) among his distinctions, underlining both combat service and infantry qualifications ^{[1] [2] [4]}.

2. Additional commendations reported across profiles

Beyond the Bronze Stars and badges, reporting and official testimony cite a Joint Commendation Medal (or Joint Commendation/Joint Service Commendation) and two Army Commendation Medals, along with other campaign and service medals like the National Defense Service Medal with an additional service star in at least one profile ^{[1] [2] [3]}.

3. Where the details come from — bios, testimony and press

The roster of awards appears in Hegseth’s official and congressional bios (including a House hearing bio and a Department of Defense/Space Force profile), in mainstream press reporting and in veteran‑oriented profiles; these sources consistently name the two Bronze Stars, CIB/EIB, and Army Commendation‑level awards as elements of his record ^{[2] [1] [4] [3]}.

4. What the awards mean in context

The Bronze Star is awarded for heroic or meritorious service in a combat zone; the Combat Infantryman Badge denotes an infantryman’s performance while engaged by the enemy, and the Expert Infantryman Badge reflects infantry technical proficiency. Sources emphasize those badges and Bronze Stars as the clearest evidence of Hegseth’s combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and of active infantry duties ^{[1] [4] [5]}.

5. Areas of agreement and variation in reporting

Most sources agree on the core items (two Bronze Stars, CIB, EIB, Army Commendations). Some accounts differ in the full listing or in whether a Joint Commendation is present versus a Joint/Army award; one House hearing bio and the Space Force profile explicitly list the Joint Commendation Medal alongside the Bronze Stars and Army Commendations ^{[2] [1]}. The Hill’s nomination coverage adds the National Defense Service Medal with a Bronze Service Star to the list ^[3].

6. Claims and gaps: what available reporting does not settle

Available sources do not fully document the citation texts, dates, unit citations, or the exact actions for which the Bronze Stars were awarded; those granular citation narratives are not included in the public bios and news summaries provided here ^{[2] [1] [4]}. Detailed award citations would normally come from service personnel records or specific Department of the Army release; those are not present in the supplied reporting ^[6].

7. Why this matters politically and journalistically

Hegseth’s military decorations have been foregrounded in his public profile and in debates about his suitability for senior defense leadership; multiple outlets and official pages highlight the two Bronze Stars and combat badges when summarizing his qualifications ^{[7] [4]}. Critics and supporters alike use those awards as shorthand for combat experience; at the same time, the absence of public award narratives leaves room for scrutiny over context and the circumstances of each decoration ^{[2] [1]}.

8. Bottom line and how to verify further

Public reporting and official bios consistently list two Bronze Stars, the Combat Infantryman Badge and Expert Infantryman Badge, two Army Commendation Medals, and at least one Joint Commendation among Hegseth’s awards ^{[1] [2] [3]}. To go beyond these summaries — for citation texts, dates, or award memos — one must consult official military personnel records or a Department of the Army release; those documents are not included in the sources provided here ^[6].