What branch and unit did Pete Hegseth serve in and what was his rank at discharge?

1. Service branch and basic unit identity — National Guard infantry officer

Public records and official biographies identify Hegseth as serving in the Army National Guard and being commissioned as an infantry officer; the Pentagon biography explicitly states he was commissioned in the U.S. Army National Guard ^[2], and multiple outlets note “Army National Guard” or “Minnesota Army National Guard” as his service component ^{[1] [3]}.

2. Deployments and types of assignments — Guantánamo, Iraq, Afghanistan

Biographies and news reporting list three overseas deployments: a security assignment at Guantánamo Bay, a platoon leadership tour in Iraq (including Baghdad and Samarra), and a later deployment to Afghanistan as a counterinsurgency instructor — roles tied to infantry and civil‑military operations rather than special operations units ^{[1] [4] [3]}.

3. Rank at and after discharge — promoted to major

Profiles and veteran‑oriented writeups show that Hegseth attained the rank of major; one report notes he was promoted to major and later served in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) before rejoining the Guard in later years ^{[3] [1]}. Official department bios published around his 2025 confirmation likewise identify his military career and terminal rank as major ^{[2] [5]}.

4. Awards and qualifications often cited — Bronze Stars and Combat Infantryman’s Badge

Multiple sources attribute two Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman’s Badge among his decorations for service overseas; Ballotpedia and veteran profiles repeat those award claims ^{[1] [4]}. News outlets that examined his personnel records highlighted positive past performance evaluations but also noted scrutiny over other aspects of his record during confirmation ^[6].

5. Points of contention and scrutiny — presentation vs. record

While sources uniformly place Hegseth in the Army National Guard and at the rank of major, reporting around his public profile shows disputes: some critics and reporting questioned elements of how his service has been presented publicly during political confirmation and media appearances, and senators and commentators debated his qualifications in 2025 confirmation hearings ^{[6] [7]}. Available sources do not mention any definitive falsification of his branch or terminal rank.

6. Why this matters — rank, unit and public credibility in confirmation fights

Hegseth’s branch (Army National Guard), infantry commissioning, deployments, and major rank are central to both defenders who call him a “battle‑proven leader” and critics who argue his civilian career and gaps in recent active service raise questions about readiness for top defense leadership; Fox News‑obtained evaluations praised his performance ^[6] while Senate debate and media scrutiny highlighted political and managerial concerns ^[7].

7. Limitations of available reporting and what’s not found

Available sources consistently identify branch, deployments and terminal rank but do not provide a single consolidated, itemized service record showing exact unit designations or precise dates for each promotion and transfer; the sources repeat unit generalities (Minnesota Army National Guard, 3rd Brigade/101st association for Iraq) but do not publish a full DD‑214 style document in the provided reporting ^{[1] [4] [3]}. If you need the precise unit lineage and promotion orders, those specifics are not found in the current reporting supplied here.

8. Bottom line — documented service: Guard infantry, deployed, discharged/promoted as major

Across official biographies and multiple news and veteran‑profile sources, Pete Hegseth’s service is documented as Army National Guard infantry service with deployments to Guantánamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan, and a terminal rank of major at the end of his Guard service or transition to the IRR ^{[2] [1] [3]}. Sources differ in tone about how that record should be weighed in public debate, and scrutiny during confirmation focused on aspects beyond those basic facts ^{[6] [7]}.