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
Renewing operational procedures for collective security
12:08 May 6, 2025
Security is one of today’s highest and best-protected common values, which, at the same time, has been facing increasingly serious challenges – declared Colonel Zoltán Bárány, Commander, HDF Transformation Command at the opening ceremony of the NATO Allied Joint Doctrine Development Course in Budapest on 5 May.
Recognition for Hungarian soldiers serving in Kosovo
16:09 April 28, 2025
Lieutenant Colonel András Szabó, the commander of KFOR Camp Novo Selo and First Lieutenant Balázs Szilágyi, a coordination officer at the HDF Joint Effects Analysis Center recently received medals for international cooperation. The recognitions of the Slovenian Ministry of Defence were presented at the handover-takeover ceremony of the Slovenian contingent serving in Kosovo.
Farewell to Pope Francis
16:01 April 28, 2025
250,000 people, including high-level church and secular officials, bid farewell to Pope Francis in Vatican City. Meanwhile, in Budapest, on the day of Pope Francis’s burial, Hungary’s flag was raised and then lowered to half-mast in solemn circumstances, accompanied by military honours, in front of the Parliament building in Kossuth Square.
Fejér County units and historical traditions in focus
12:48 April 28, 2025
During their visit to the HDF 51st Signal and Headquarters Support Brigade and the HDF 102nd CBRN Regiment organized by the MoD Department for International Cooperation, the members of the Budapest Military Attaché Corps (BMAC) were introduced to the CIS and CBRN defence capabilities of the Hungarian Defence Forces.
Another 45-ton big cat in Hódmezővásárhely
12:44 April 28, 2025
Another Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicle was recently delivered to the HDF 30th Mechanized Infantry Brigade. Increasing the soldiers’ safety and the combat effectiveness alike, this modern combat vehicle with high firepower is a determinant element in the development of the Hungarian military. The training necessary for operating the armored combat vehicle is going on continuously, which ensures professional operation of the vehicles received by the unit.
With support from Gidráns
16:56 April 23, 2025
The infantry company of the HDF 1st Armored Brigade declared to the European Union Battle Group recently participated in an international military exercise.
Hungarian soldiers to mentor Chadian army at international counter-terrorism exercise
16:52 April 23, 2025
The objective of the joint military exercise organized for NATO allies and their African partners is to develop counter-terrorism capabilities and cooperation.
EU Recognition to the Hungarian Defence Forces
14:34 April 23, 2025
Lieutenant General Michiel van der Laan, Director General of the European Union Military Staff, expressed his recognition to the Hungarian Defence Forces and praised the Hungarian party’s contribution to training the EU Rapid Response Force, related to Exercise MILEX 2025, hosted by Hungary.
Model NATO Challenge 2025 – preparing diplomats of the future
14:30 April 23, 2025
How does a NATO ambassador think in the midst of a crisis situation? What does it mean to represent national interests in an international alliance? The high school students participating in the Model NATO Challenge 2025 simulation exercise – which was organized by the NATO Allied Command Transformation in cooperation with Virginia Wesleyan University on 28 March – received answers to these questions, too.
International Exercise Golden Serve 2025
13:35 April 23, 2025
Members of the HDF 2nd ISR Regiment were exercising together with German and Austrian army scouts for two weeks in the framework of Exercise Golden Serve 2025 in Freyung, Germany.