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

Instruction for trainers
09:33 May 27, 2026
The international NATO Instructor Course opened its gates on Whit Monday, 25 May in Szentendre, Hungary. The event was attended by Chief Warrant Officer Tamás Zsiros, Command Sergeant Major of the Hungarian Defence Forces and Colonel Imre Frankó, the commandant of the HDF NCO Academy.

Special Forces conduct international exercises in May
13:49 May 26, 2026
In 2026, the soldiers of the Hungarian Defence Forces Special Operations Command (HDF SOC) participated in international exercises at several venues around Africa. The objectives of their engagement were to strengthen allied cooperation, develop joint operational capabilities and support regional stability.

Exchange student program the cadets’ way
13:45 May 26, 2026
Every year, students of the Moravska Trebova Military High School, Czechia spend a week in the company of the cadets of the Debrecen-based Kratochvil Károly Honvéd Secondary School and Dormitory in Hungary, this time at the Újfehértó Defence Sports Center. After a 8-km route march, the cadets pitched camp and then, together with their hosts, participated in a range night and a reconnaissance task.

NATO and the EU focus on strengthening the armed forces
12:08 May 26, 2026
“Both NATO and the European Union are concentrating on force development, the strengthening of defence industry and the preparation of the armed forces, while also looking for solutions to settle ongoing conflicts” – stated General Dr. Gábor Böröndi, Chief of HDF Defence Staff after attending the European Union and NATO Military Committee in Chiefs of Defence Session held in Brussels.

Joint run in honor of Polish freedom
11:08 May 26, 2026
On the occasion of the Polish 3rd of May Constitution Day, the SHAPE POLSOF Run was organized at the NATO Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons, Belgium. The allied nations – among them, Hungarian servicemembers and their family members – entered the five-kilometer run to pay tribute to Poland’s freedom and national traditions.

Persevering in the Present – Preserving the Past
11:01 May 26, 2026
The 34th rotation of the Hungarian Defence Forces’ KFOR Contingent held a celebratory assembly on the occasion of the Day of Hungarian National Defence at Camp Novo Selo, Kosovo.

NATO Defense College recognizes four Hungarian military leaders
15:44 May 20, 2026
The NATO Defense College (NDC) has awarded General Dr. Gábor Böröndi, Chief of HDF Defence Staff a Distinguished Ancien diploma. Apart from him, the diploma for an outstanding professional career path was also awarded to General Ferenc Korom, Hungary’s ambassador accredited to Quatar; Major General László Domján, chief ministerial advisor; and also to Brigadier General Dr. Pál Kádár, the advisor of the National Security Bureau of the Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister.

Courageous Service: Hungarian Soldiers Honored at the Highest Level of KFOR
15:40 May 20, 2026
Two soldiers from the 34th rotation of the Hungarian Defence Forces’ KFOR Contingent received recognition from the Commander and Command Sergeant Major of NATO’s mission in Kosovo.

We bring the armed forces to success together
12:05 May 20, 2026
The former minister of defence spent a significant sum of money on renovating a floor of the MoD Military History Institute and Museum. But this was not enough, he scheduled the spending of further HUF 18 billion on the transformation of other parts of the building. Incumbent Defence Minister Dr. Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi has stopped this money squandering and announced today that the HUF 5 billion scheduled for this year and the further HUF 13 billion for next year will be spent on improving the soldiers’ working conditions instead of the ministry building.

Locked Shields 2026: Hungarian–Korean cyber security team has learned valuable lessons
14:56 May 19, 2026
Organized annually since 2010 by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE), Locked Shields is one of the world’s largest and most complex cyber security exercises, which tests the participating nations’ technical, strategic, legal and communicative response capabilities under real-time cyberattacks.