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
US Congressional Delegation at Parliament
11:32 July 29, 2026
In today’s security environment, allied cooperation must deliver tangible results. That is why we discussed the development of European defence capabilities, and opportunities for Hungarian-American defence industry cooperation. Hungary’s interest lies not only in acquiring state-of-the-art military equipment but also in ensuring that as much of its production and industrial capacity as possible is brought to our country. This strengthens our national defence, our economy and our strategic autonomy – Minister of Defence Dr Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi stated on his social media page on 27 July.
„The war took everything from them”
10:27 July 28, 2026
More than 17,000 soldiers are buried at the Budaörs Military Cemetery and Memorial Park. Many of them remain unknown even today, or have been forgotten over time, which is why the ongoing maintenance of their graves is invaluable. This summer, ten Hungarian and ten German war grave caretakers undertook this work of remembrance, and their selfless efforts culminated in a joint, dignified commemoration on July 23.
Reporting from the U.S.: Hungarian Commanders in the Field
16:34 July 27, 2026
During the CRX26 exercise, senior officers from the HDF visited Camp Grayling. Major General Dr. László Drót, commander of the HDF Territorial Defence Forces Command, Brigadier General Gábor Lőrincz, Hungary’s Military Attaché to Washington, Senior Warrant Officer Lajos Hérincs, Command Senior Enlisted Leader of the HDF Territorial Defence Forces Command, and Colonel Zoltán Fekets, commander of the HDF 7th Territorial Defence Regiment.
Spotlight on Hospital Major Incident Medical Management
16:26 July 27, 2026
The Hospital Major Incident Medical Management and Support (HMIMMS) international course is held in Budapest for the second time. British and Estonian military medical professionals provide training to military doctors and specialists of the HDF Medical Centre, as well as civilian doctors, on the effective and standardized organization of hospital major incident medical management.
Reporting from the U.S.: Different Weapons, Joint Mission
17:12 July 23, 2026
At the Camp Grayling Training Centre, the Ohio National Guard is providing M240B 7.62×51-millimeter machine guns to Hungarian reservists participating in Combat Readiness Exercise 2026 (CRX26) to carry out their training tasks. Before the equipment was put into use, their American comrades provided a detailed demonstration of how to use it safely and effectively.
Chief of HDF Defence Staff receives Qatari Ambassador
17:08 July 23, 2026
General Zsolt Sándor, Chief of the HDF Defence Staff, received Radi Sowayed B.S. Alajami, the Qatari Ambassador to Budapest, on an office call. The meeting focused on the potential expansion of military cooperation.
Reporting from the U.S.: Flexibility Even in Extreme Conditions
14:27 July 21, 2026
The Hungarian reservists participating in the Ohio National Guard’s Combat Readiness Exercise 2026 (CRX26) are prepared for even the toughest challenges. The smoke from the wildfires raging in Canada has reached the state of Michigan, causing air quality in the Camp Grayling area to deteriorate dramatically. To protect the soldiers' health, exercise commanders ordered the temporary withdrawal of personnel from the field until the situation stabilizes.
Special NATO Award
14:22 July 21, 2026
A special operations soldier from the Hungarian Defence Forces was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, one of NATO’s highest honours. The award is granted by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to military personnel and civilian staff whose outstanding service has contributed significantly to the successful fulfilment of the Alliance’s missions.
Reporting from the U.S.: Everyone Knows the Drill!
10:48 July 20, 2026
Hungarian reservists participating in the Ohio National Guard’s Combat Readiness Exercise 2026 (CRX26) took up their designated starting positions on the wooded terrain of Camp Grayling Training Center. The area spans nearly 147,000 hectares, almost three times the size of Budapest, and is dotted with pine forests.
Euro-Atlantic Commitment
10:45 July 20, 2026
On the sidelines of the Budapest Energy and Security Talks on July 14, 2026, Attila Elek Varga, State Secretary for Defence at the Ministry of Defence, held talks with Javier Colomina, NATO’s Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy.