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
Live fire exercise for reservists in Táborfalva
12:35 July 25, 2023
Close to 600 Hungarian, Polish and American reservists are participating in Exercise “Moonstar 2023” on the Táborfalva military training area of the HDF Joint Forces Training Centre. The large-scale joint training event was also visited by Lieutenant General Dr. Gábor Böröndi, Chief of HDF General Staff and CSM Zoltán Kaszab, Command Sergeant Major, Hungarian Defence Forces.
Hungarian staff officer receives Alliance award
12:32 July 25, 2023
General Chris Badia, NATO’s Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Transformation recently awarded a Certificate of Commendation to Lieutenant Colonel Ferenc Pásztor for his distinctive accomplishments.
Hungary is an important player on NATO’s eastern flank
10:00 July 25, 2023
According to Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, NATO’s new defence posture makes Hungary an indispensable player in strengthening the eastern flank, partly because of its geographical position and partly because of the magnitude and speed of the development of its armed forces.
First two H225M helicopters arrive in Szolnok
11:21 July 18, 2023
On Monday, 17 July the first two Airbus H225M helicopters arrived at the Szolnok airbase of the HDF 86th Helicopter Wing. The Hungarian Defence Forces have placed an order for altogether 16 H225M medium-lift helicopters in the framework of the armed forces development program.
Neptune Strike 2023
11:55 July 17, 2023
Drawing significant international attention, the NATO Vigilance Activity Neptune Strike that commenced in February continued on 14 July, with the land supporting element being provided by the HDF 1st Special Operations Brigade.
“Hungary must not plunge into the war!”
11:50 July 17, 2023
Hungary and NATO must not plunge into the war in Ukraine – stated Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky in the program “Vasárnapi újság” (Sunday News) of Kossuth Radio on 16 July.
The biggest defence industry companies are interested in Hungary
09:33 July 13, 2023
On Wednesday, 12 July, Ministerial Commissioner for Defence Innovation Brigadier General Dr. Imre Porkoláb spoke about the importance of air defence and the current stage of the development of the armed forces in the program “Ma reggel” (Today morning) of Hungarian TV channel M1, in connection with the debut of the Hungarian-developed ProTAR Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) system early this week. According to the brigadier general, the new technology significantly reduces the costs of training.
Hungary is a recognized and esteemed member of NATO
09:28 July 13, 2023
“At the two-day Vilnius NATO Summit, we worked out NATO’s new defence posture, in which Hungary has an important and indispensable role to play”, wrote Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky on his social media page on 12 July.
Ecuadorian delegation in Szolnok
16:07 July 12, 2023
Between 2–7 July, a high-level Ecuadorian military delegation paid a visit to Hungary. It is the firm intention of the two countries’ ministries of defence to establish closer bilateral cooperation in the field of defence. In this spirit, on 5 July, after its arrival in Hungary, the delegation headed by Brigadier General Franklin Fabián Pico Medina representing the Ministry of National Defence went to Szolnok to see the military units stationed there.
American helicopters – with Hungarian JTACs
15:58 July 12, 2023
Already on the second occasion, the U.S. Air Force 56th Rescue Squadron has recently deployed to the Hungarian Defence Forces 47th Air Base to participate in a two-week Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) exercise coupled with live fire missions in the Bakony Hills.