“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” — John 15:13
Pete Hegseth has received a number of real U.S. military awards from his time serving as an Army National Guard infantry officer. Here are the main ones:
🎖️ Major awards (the most notable)
Bronze Star Medal (×2)
Awarded for service in Iraq and Afghanistan
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal (×2)
⚔️ Combat & skill badges
Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) – shows he served in active ground combat
Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB) – high-level infantry proficiency
🌍 Campaign & service medals
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal (with 2 campaign stars)
Iraq Campaign Medal (with 2 campaign stars)
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
NATO Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Overseas Service Ribbon
🧾 What that means
The Bronze Stars are his most significant awards—fairly high-level, but commonly given for meritorious service in a combat zone, not necessarily battlefield heroism.
The Combat Infantryman Badge is important—it confirms he was on the ground in combat
The rest show deployments, overseas service, and participation in major wars
🧭 Bottom line
He is a decorated combat veteran, with:
✔️ Multiple deployments (Iraq, Afghanistan)
✔️ Two Bronze Stars
✔️ Verified combat service
