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
A Torrent of Soldiers’ Medals in Poland
13:00 September 2, 2026
The military athletes of the HDF Sports Company return home from the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Poznań with a splendid haul of medals. They won three gold and five silver medals in the individual events, one bronze medal in the pairs, and, as members of the fours, one gold and one silver.
American Master’s Completed
12:56 September 2, 2026
Major Domonkos Balázs Pászthory, a soldier from the 1st Grenadier Battalion of the HDF 30th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, has completed his military postgraduate studies at Texas A&M University and has recently returned home from his posting lasting nearly two years.
Renewal in military medicine
12:30 September 2, 2026
“The issue of innovation has never before been as essential in military medicine as in our days” – noted General Zsolt Sándor, Chief of HDF Defence Staff in his speech delivered at the first NATO Medical Innovation Workshop held at Bálna Defence Centre, Budapest.
Hungarian Capabilities in the EU’s Military Logistics Cooperation
12:29 August 31, 2026
A delegation of experts from the Central Coordination Centre of the Network of Logistic Hubs in Europe visited Hungary on 25-26 August.
Safety and Speed
12:25 August 31, 2026
During Exercise Quick Response 2026 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the reaction times and crisis management protocols of the flight crews of Hungarian helicopters declared to the EUFOR reserve force are tested in the most unexpected situations. The aim is to ensure that, alongside other participants, airmen from the HDF 86th Helicopter Wing are also able to respond to any problem in record time.
Realistic Environment, International Cooperation
12:11 August 31, 2026
The international Exercise Saber Junction 2026 in Germany has been underway for over a week now. During the first few days, the focus was on planning and preparations. Since then, the live exercise (LIVEX) has also begun.
Stability Even during Rotation
13:01 August 28, 2026
“Your expertise, unity and commitment have strengthened the trust placed in us by the communities we protect. Be proud of yourselves and what you have achieved together,” said Major General László Antal, praising the soldiers of the NATO Forward Land Forces Battle Group Hungary (NATO FLF BG HUN) on August 26. At the ceremony held in Újmajor, the 2nd Grenadier Battalion of the HDF 30th Mechanized Infantry Brigade handed over its tasks, after twelve months, to the next Hungarian rotation: the designated personnel of the HDF 1st Armoured Brigade.
Quick Response 2026: Hungarian Rotary-Wing Aircraft in Bosnia and Herzegovina
12:58 August 28, 2026
Hungarian helicopters arrived at Camp Butmir in Sarajevo, where they are taking part in Exercise Quick Response 2026 as part of Operation Althea of the European Union, better known as EUFOR.
International Half Marathon in Kosovo
11:05 August 27, 2026
What began as a personal tribute to the memory of a mother grew into one of the largest sporting events of the KFOR mission: the “Hungarian Statehood Day Run.” The idea of Warrant Officer Zsolt Matolcsi eventually brought together more than one hundred soldiers in Kosovo, while the organiser himself completed the half-marathon distance on a challenging course featuring several climbs, finishing well within his target time. As his deployment draws to a close, we spoke with Warrant Officer Matolcsi about his personal motivation, the behind-the-scenes challenges of organising the event, preparing for the race alongside his military duties, and his experiences during the mission.
Seven of the eight pumps are already operational
15:51 August 24, 2026
The restart of the turbines at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant is going according to schedule and at a good pace, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said in the company of, among others, Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi on August 23 in Paks at an on-site press briefing held about the current status of the works at Paks and the planned switching back of the plant’s turbines.