Arlington · Giant Schnauzer
Guard rebukes Hegseth's group, Hegseth decorates the guard – the Giant Schnauzer nods gravely
Der Hündeler, Edition of Thursday, 12 November 2026 (edition 2)
What happened
On Veterans Day, a guard at Arlington National Cemetery reprimanded a group around US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth for laughing loudly. Hegseth was rebuked for inappropriate behaviour. Following Wednesday's incident, the soldier, Specialist Thomas Iglesias, was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal for the execution of his duties.
What does this mean for your Giant Schnauzer?
The Giant Schnauzer hails from Bavaria, where it guarded cattle markets and breweries: places with a great deal of laughter, none of it its own. It knows the first rule of guard duty: the rank of the offender is irrelevant. Drayman or minister, it announces itself in a low voice and stares out from under its eyebrows until order is restored. It has never received a medal for this, at most a slice of sausage from the brewmaster. That the person rebuked should now hand over the decoration himself strikes it as a perfectly proper chain of command. In Switzerland, the local council would probably have sent a recorded-delivery letter.
What you can do now: Give your Giant Schnauzer a job before it finds one of its own. Supervising your next drinks reception is only partly suitable.