Lieutenant General Zoltán Mihócza
08:02 August 10, 2021Personal data:
Date of birth: 18 March 1962.
Place of birth: Budapest
Marital status: Married, with one child
Education:
1980 - 1986 Minsk Military Academy of Air Defense Missile Engineering, (Minsk, Belarus, USSR), certified radio engineer
1996 - 1997 Air Defense Gunner Advanced Officer Course (Fort Bliss, El Paso, Texas, USA).
2004 - 2005 US Air Force Command and Staff College (Montgomery, Alabama, USA)
Training Courses Attended:
1999 C-70 Chemical Defense Course, NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany
2000 I-32 Staff Officer Course, NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany
2001 C-29 MJLC Course, NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany
2002 NATO Logistics Course, Aachen, Germany
2007 Senior Leadership Course, George C. Marshall Center, Germany
2008 Defence Policy Course, Defence Academy, UK
2010 GFOAC Senior Leadership Course, NDC, Rome, Italy
Military career:
1986 - 1989 11/7th Air Defense Missile Division, Deputy Commander (Technical), Budapest
1989 - 1992 11th Danube Air Defense Missile Brigade, Maintenance Squadron Commander, Budapest
1992 - 1994 11th Danube Air Defense Missile Brigade, Chief of Maintenance, Budapest
1995 - 1996 11th Danube Air Defense Missile Brigade, Chief of Air Defense Missile Engineering, Budapest
1997 11th Danube Air Defense Missile Brigade, Chief of Military Engineering, Budapest
1998 HDF Meteorological Office, Chief Planning Officer, Budapest
1999 Defense Staff, Military Force Planning Directorate, Modernization Department, Research and Analysis Officer, Budapest
1999 - 2002 NATO Joint Forces Command, Group Headquarters J1/4, Logistics Planning Division, Senior Officer, Verona, Italy
2002 - 2003 MOD-DS, Force Planning Directorate, Modernization Division, Senior Officer in Charge, Budapest
2003 - 2004 MOD-DS, Secretary to the Chief of Integration, Budapest
2005 MOD-DS, Secretary to the Director of the Defense Staff, Budapest
2005 - 2006 MOD- DS, Military Planning General Directorate, NATO and Doctrinal Department, Head of Department, Budapest
2006 - 2010 MOD-DS, Operations and Training Division, Deputy Head of Division, Budapest
2010 - 2011 MOD-DS, Force Planning Directorate, Director, Budapest
2011 - 2013 HDF Office of the Military Representative, Military Representative, Brussels, Belgium
2013 - 2016 HDF Joint Forces Command, Acting Commander, Székesfehérvár
2015 - 2016 EUFOR, Chief of Staff, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2016 - 2018 HDF Joint Forces Command, Chief of Staff, Székesfehérvár
2018 HDF Joint Forces Command, Acting Commander, Székesfehérvár
2019 - Headquarters of the Hungarian Defense Forces, Chief of Staff
Participation in operations:
2000 - 2001 KFOR HQ Pristina, Kosovo
2015 - 2016 EUFOR, Chief of Staff, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Honours:
1994 Officer Service Medal 3rd Class (10 years)
2001 NATO Kosovo Medal
2002 Service Medal for Peacekeeping
2003 Service Medal, bronze grade
2003 Officer's Service Medal 2nd Class (20 years)
2004 NATO Service Medal 2005 Service Medal gold grade
2008 Service Medal decorated with Laurel Wreath
2010 Officer's Service Medal 1st Class (30 years )
2013 NATO Service Medal
2015 Hungarian Cross of the Order of Merit, military section
2016 EU CSDP Service Medal
2017 Migration Crisis Management Service Badge
2018 US Air Force Command Staff College, International Hall of Fame Member
2019 Gyula Sipos Award of the City of Székesfehérvár
Language skills:
English: STANAG 6001 4.4.4.4
Russian: advanced level, military interpreter
Minister of defence runs together with soldiers for peace
11:54 February 19, 2026
Besides strengthening camaraderie, the main and topical message of a memorial run organized on the anniversary of the foundation of the International Military Sports Council (CISM) is peace, because “the wind of war is blowing over Europe again” – stated Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky at the military sporting event in Budapest on 18 February.
The construction of another large barracks in Hungary is an important milestone
13:54 February 18, 2026
One year after the groundbreaking ceremony, another large barracks is being built in Hungary. This is an important milestone, “we’ve promised strength, we’ve built strength!” – said Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky at the topping-out ceremony of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) barracks in Thököly Street, Szolnok on 17 February.
French Soldiers at Hódmezővásárhely
11:30 February 18, 2026
Similarly to the previous years, two French students arrived at the HDF 30th Mechanized Infantry Brigade this year from the École Militaire Interarmes, where serving NCOs and enlisted personnel are being trained to become officers.
Nearly a year on Mission over Kosovo
10:18 February 17, 2026
Aircrew and aircraft maintenance personnel serving in the Hungarian Defence Forces’ 86th Helicopter Wing have been deployed in Kosovo since March 2025. During this period, the brigade has already completed two rotations, and the third one is now approaching its conclusion.
Dialogue Among Cultures
14:00 February 13, 2026
The NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT, Norfolk, USA) organised the International Food Night already for the 11th time. The event again provided an outstanding opportunity this year for representatives from different countries to get richer with culinary experience and also build international relations.
To be housed in museum
12:29 February 13, 2026
On 8 February, the last piece of the Élthes-collection gifted to the Museum of Ethnography – a muzzle-loading rifle manufactured in Belgium in 1870 – arrived in Hungary aboard the Falcon 7X aircraft of the Hungarian Defence Forces. The special weapon was donated to institution by the widow of Fencing Master Dr. Csaba Élthes, who had graduated as a lawyer, served in World War II as a lieutenant of the Royal Hungarian Defence Forces, and managed the national fencing team of the USA successfully throughout four Olympics.
NATO Should Remain a Defence Alliance
11:41 February 13, 2026
NATO should remain, according to the original intentions, a defence alliance – emphasized Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky in his video statement posted on Facebook following the discussion at the Meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence in Brussels on Thursday.
The goal is professional life-saving
11:04 February 13, 2026
This week, combat lifesaver (CLS) soldiers of the 33rd rotation of the HDF KFOR Contingent (KFOR Tactical Reserve Battalion, KTRBN) tested their skills in the fields of marksmanship, stretcher-bearing, treating casualties and intravenous access. The competition imitated an active combat environment, and, of course, was preceded by lengthy academic training and practical instruction, during which the CLS soldiers of the subunits had opportunity to brush up and deepen the knowledge they had acquired earlier.
Czech-Hungarian Defence Policy Discussion in Budapest
12:43 February 12, 2026
A meeting of Czech and Hungarian defence policy directors was held in Budapest on 9 and 10 February 2026. MoD Deputy State Secretary for Defence Policy László Hajnik received Czech Defence Policy Director Martin Riegl. Military-to-military cooperation, current NATO and EU topics and the global security policy situation were at the centre of the meeting.
We must take joint action against terrorism
11:04 February 12, 2026
The Hungarian–Algerian joint military committee held its third session in Budapest on 4 February 2026. MoD Deputy State Secretary for Defence Policy László Hajnik received Major General Zerrouk Dahmani, Director of Social Service at the Algerian Ministry of National Defence.