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
“FOR THE HOMELAND UNTO DEATH”
20:07 November 17, 2021
EU defence ministerial and V4+ meeting in Brussels
10:39 November 17, 2021
On 15–16 November the defence ministers of the European Union met in Brussels, where Hungary was represented by Defence Minister Tibor Benkő. Prior to the defence ministers’ plenary sessions, the defence ministers of the Visegrád Four countries met with their counterpart, French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly. The discussion was the first ministerial-level meeting of the Hungarian V4 presidency in V4+ format.
Deputy Commander of Hungarian Defence Forces receives Georgia’s defence attaché accredited to Budapest
10:10 November 16, 2021
On Monday, 15 November, Deputy Commander of the Hungarian Defence Forces Major General Zsolt Sándor received in his office Colonel Vepkhvia Chalabashvili, the defence attaché of Georgia accredited to Budapest.
Military Cyber Commanders’ Forum in Budapest
10:04 November 16, 2021
As part of the event series connected with the Hungarian V4 presidency, a programme entitled “Military Cyber Commanders’ Forum” was organized between 10–12 November.
Hungarian–Turkish cooperation keeps strengthening
09:41 November 12, 2021
On Thursday, 11 November, as a member of the delegation headed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Minister of Defence Tibor Benkő attended the 5th meeting of the Turkey-Hungary High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council. On the margins of the event, he held a bilateral discussion with his counterpart, Turkish Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar. Speaking in Ankara, Defence Minister Benkő stated that Turkey is an important strategic partner of Hungary in terms of military cooperation, therefore the two countries will conclude a framework agreement to further strengthen and expand this partnership.
Brave Unity 2021 – exercise control and support
16:25 November 11, 2021
In terms of the number of total participants, as well as the functional areas involved, the last decade’s most noticeable Computer Assisted Command Post Exercise is held under the name Brave Unity 21 in these days. The assigned personnel of Headquarters Multinational Division – Centre (HQ MND-C), playing the role of superior military organization, was visited by Major General Denis Tretinjak, commander of HQ MND-C, in the Simulation, Exercise and Training Centre of the HDF Bakony Combat Training Centre on 10 November in Várpalota.
Centennial Relationship with Latvia
08:57 November 9, 2021
Hungary is an important and actively acting member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization – the most effective defence and military force in the world –, and strengthens common security – emphasized Minister of Defence Tibor Benkő. The minister held discussions with Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs in Budapest.
Defence Minister Tibor Benkő receives Latvia’s foreign minister on a courtesy call
15:34 November 8, 2021
On Monday, 8 November, on the occasion of the centenary of diplomatic cooperation between Hungary and Latvia, Minister of Defence Tibor Benkő received Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgard Rinkēvičs in Budapest. At their meeting, besides today’s security challenges, the ministers also discussed current issues of allied cooperation between the two countries.
Sharpening the sword of the alligator, at the threshold of the ”Alligator Sword 21” exercise
14:00 November 8, 2021
Before its departure, the outgoing personnel of the Headquarters Multinational Division – Centre took part in the last preparation in the first week of November at Alba Regia barracks in Székesfehérvár. The drill, known in NATO terminology as ”Battle Staff Training”, focused on the tasks of deployed personnel, which is going to be relocated to Germany within days.
Defence Minister Tibor Benkő holds discussion with his Austrian counterpart
09:34 November 5, 2021
On Thursday, 4 November Minister of Defence Tibor Benkő received Austrian Defence Minister in the framework of a border meeting in Sopronbánfalva. During the official meeting, the two sides discussed the European security situation and its future, the common challenges, the forms of bilateral military cooperation and, last but not least, the tasks connected with the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.