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
Gold Medal in High Jump
10:49 March 21, 2024
Lieutenant Napóleon Papp, PT officer at the HDF Medical Centre Institute of Aeromedicine and Aptitude Testing, finished first in high jump in the M40 age group at the European Masters Athletics Championships Indoor organized in Torun, Poland on 17 March.
Renewing HDF Search and Rescue Capabilities
10:46 March 21, 2024
Old equipment is being replaced with modern helicopters at the Hungarian Defence Forces search and rescue (SAR) service – announced Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky. He also added that old Mi-17 helicopters have recently been replaced with new H145M ones.
Developing Slovakian–Hungarian Cooperation
14:11 March 20, 2024
“At the Slovakian–Hungarian border meeting, we discussed the two countries’ NATO engagement in detail. We also covered some possibilities for joint engagement in terms of training and foreign missions, which are open for both national armed forces” – emphasized General Dr. Gábor Böröndi, Chief of HDF General Staff at the Slovakian–Hungarian meeting of chiefs of defence in Tata on Tuesday, 19 March.
NATO: Opportunities for Cooperation in the South
13:48 March 20, 2024
Several high-level delegations paid visits to Joint Force Command (JFC) Naples in early March. The aim of the visits was to discuss and work out partnership plans related to NATO’s southern neighborhood (Middle East, North Africa and the Sahel regions).
NATO expands its defence innovation network in Hungary
12:19 March 19, 2024
NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) has announced that it expands and doubles its presence in Hungary by connecting accelerator sites and test centers for technological development into its research and development network.
25 Years in a Strong Alliance
12:13 March 19, 2024
Twenty-five years ago, on 12 March 1999 the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland officially joined NATO, which was a historic moment for these nations and the Alliance. This accession not only made NATO stronger but also renewed European unity and cooperation.
Choreography for saving lives
15:01 March 18, 2024
In 2024, as the lead nation providing the commander of EUFOR, Hungary stood up a team for the Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC) capability of the mission. We talked with Lieutenant Colonel Attila Dajka, Commander, EUFOR Althea Aviation Detachment and Lieutenant (MD) Dr. Levente Forgács, a doctor of the detachment about the details of pre-deployment training for the mission and the circumstances of service abroad.
Recognition from NATO Commander in Norfolk
12:25 March 18, 2024
Dr. Gergely Németh, Head of NATO ACT Strategic Foresight Branch responsible for futures studies recently received the highest possible recognition from General Phillipe Lavigne, Commander, NATO Allied Command Transformation (NATO ACT).
In Alliance
11:13 March 18, 2024
Hungary joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 25 years ago and is a reliable and recognized member of the Alliance. On the occasion of the anniversary, the NATO Forward Land Forces Multinational Battlegroup held a dynamic combat vehicle display and carried out a live-firing exercise with Hungarian, Italian and Croatian soldiers. The state-of-the-art devices of the Hungarian Defence Forces were displayed, such as the Gidrán tactical vehicles, SAAB Gripen fighter aircraft and several Leopard 2A7HU third-generation main battle tanks.
Open Skies
11:09 March 18, 2024
The Centre for Security Cooperation (RACVIAC) based in Zagreb, Croatia, held an Open Skies Treaty Aerial Observation Course at the HDF 47th Airbase in Tata at the beginning of March. The main goal of the international organization – in the field of arms control – is to implement mutual security-building measures and closer cooperation. After the academic training and planning, the course participants flew two observation flights in the airspace of Hungary with the AN-30 aircraft arriving from Romania.