HON Pete Hegseth
- Commissioned
- 03 June 2003 · Princeton ROTC
- Component
- U.S. Army National Guard
- Branch
- 11A · Infantry Officer
- Final Rank
- Major
- Service
- 2003–2006, 2010–2014, 2019–2021
Biography
The Honorable Pete Hegseth is the secretary of war. He was sworn in on Jan. 25, 2025, as the 29th secretary of defense before the department's name was changed on Sept. 5, 2025.
Hegseth was commissioned as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army National Guard after graduating from Princeton University in 2003. He participated in a number of active-duty deployments during his time in service, including operations in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan. Hegseth also served in multiple staff positions in the National Guard.
Hegseth's military qualification badges include the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and the Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB). His awards include two Bronze Star Medals, the Joint Service Commendation Medal and two Army Commendation Medals. He has authored five books, including the best-seller The War on Warriors (2024).
The Special Forces Tab is not among the qualifications listed above. Award of the tab requires completion of the Special Forces Qualification Course. The readiness status below reflects the elapsed time since commissioning during which that qualification has not been earned.
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