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 ADA Officers Advanced Course, El Paso, Texas, USA
2004 - 2005 Air War College, Montgomery, Alabama, USA Master degree – strategic studies
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
Make-A-Wish: Kilometres for Hope
11:44 June 10, 2026
A charity sports event was held in Mons at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), with the participation of Hungarian soldiers and their family members. Donations totalling nearly HUF 22 million (approximately €62,000) were raised to support children battling with serious illnesses.
Reservists preparing for international exercise
13:29 June 9, 2026
The preparation of reservists is continuing based on the lessons learned on the Moonstar exercises organized in recent years. The reservists of the 5th Territorial Defence Battalion of the HDF 2nd Territorial Defence Regiment participated in a three-day training program in the training area and on the shooting range of the Hajdúhadház Training Base. The training focused on developing marksmanship skills and the coordinated execution of tactical missions.
Peace and Security for Hungary
12:01 June 9, 2026
After a long time, the Hungarian and French defence ministers came together for a meeting June 8. Alongside the ministerial meeting in Cyprus, Defence Minister Dr. Romulusz Ruszi-Szendi PhD held discussions with French Minister of the Armed Forces Catherine Vautrin.
SOF soldiers on top of the podium
12:29 June 8, 2026
A sniper of the Hungarian Defence Forces Special Operations Command recently won first place at the T-Class Tactical Sniper National Cup 2026 international marksmanship competition organized in Bulgaria.
Without Borders
11:20 June 8, 2026
The Deep Water 2026 basic diving training has concluded, with Hungarian and North Macedonian soldiers successfully tackling the challenges. The underwater operations of the last few weeks required thorough technical expertise, as well as great perseverance, discipline, and teamwork.
Joint Action is Essential
11:15 June 8, 2026
“An informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers is currently taking place here in Cyprus, where we are reviewing the most important challenges and tasks affecting Europe’s security,” wrote Defence Minister Dr. Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi on his social media page on June 8.
Three nations, one objective
10:56 June 8, 2026
“The soldiers of three nations were exercising together and learning from each other, and so they have achieved their objective by successfully clearing the trenches. This shows that the soldiers of the Ohio National Guard serve together with the Hungarian and Serbian forces as true comrades” – said Major General Matthew S. Woodruff, Adjutant General, Ohio National Guard on June 5 in Táborfalva.
Meeting of V4 Defence Policy Directors in Budapest
13:04 June 5, 2026
On June 2–3, 2026, János Szőnyegi, MoD Deputy State Secretary for Force Development and Defence Policy hosted the Defence Policy Directors from the Visegrád Group (V4) countries (Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic) in Budapest.
There can be no successful cooperation without a strong Alliance
11:21 June 5, 2026
“We’ve had a great partnership with the Ohio National Guard for decades. Our troops were co-deployed in the Afghanistan mission, and we’ve been continuously supporting each other. Thanks to the good relationship, our troops have been able to demonstrate in the Alliance that we’re reliable partners” – said Defence Minister Dr. Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi PhD during Ohio National Guard Adjutant General Major General Matthew S. Woodruff’s visit to Hungary on June 4.
Cutting-edge technology in the air
12:08 June 4, 2026
“It can be armed, used for the tasks of special operations, in support the land forces, for air assault and close air support, and for the execution of any logistic transport task” – this was how Colonel Krisztián Kovács, Commander, HDF 86th Helicopter Wing praised the versatility of the H225M helicopters at the 5th conference of the H225M User Group on June 2.