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Major General Zoltán Schmidt

11:22 January 2, 2023

Personal details

Date of birth: 30th June 1969
Place of birth: Paks, Hungary
Marital status: married, a father of one child

Education

2015 Defence Management Course (National University of Public Service, Budapest)
2011 General Staff Course (Miklós Zrínyi National Defence University)
2008 NATO Logistics Operational Planning Course (Oberammergau)
2006 NATO Defence Forces Course (Oberammergau)
2006 NATO Staff Officer Course (Oberammergau)
2004 NATO Logistics Course (Aachen)
2002 TÜV Rheinland Academy (Budapest), Quality Management System Referent
2002 Miklós Zrínyi National Defence University, military technology manager
1990 Máté Zalka Military Technical College, combat vehicle maintainer, combat vehicle technology specialization

Military career

2023 Deputy Chief of Defence for Management
2022 Head of office (deputy commander for management), Hungarian Defence Forces Command
2019–2022 Inspector General (logistics), Hungarian Defence Forces Command
2018 Acting Chief of Staff, HDF Joint Force Command
2017–2018 Deputy Chief of Staff Support, HDF Joint Force Command
2014–2017 Chief of Logistic Forces (deputy commander), HDF Joint Force Command
2013–2014 Acting Chief of Logistic Forces (deputy commander), HDF Joint Force Command
2010–2013 Chief of Logistics Operations Directorate, HDF Joint Force Command
2007–2010 Senior officer (deputy chief), Logistic Directorate, HDF Joint Force Command
2006 Senior officer, Force planning division, MoD Force Planning Department
2005–2006 Senior officer, Force planning division, Military Planning Directorate, General Staff
2003–2005 Senior officer for coordination, Logistic Planning Directorate, HDF Joint Logistic and Support Command
2001–2003 Senior officer for planning, Logistic Directorate, General Staff
1999–2001 Service chief for armored and motor vehicle technology, Logistic Directorate
1997–1999 Logistics chief (deputy commander for logistics), 1st Tank Battalion
1997 Company commander, logistic company, 1st Tank Battalion
1993–1997 Company commander, repair company, Logistic Battalion
1990–1993 Deputy company commander for armaments technology, 1st Tank Company, 1st Tank Battalion
1987 Student (Miklós Zrínyi National Defence University)

Decorations

Officer Service Medal, 3rd Class
Service Medal of Merit, Silver Grade
Service Medal of Merit, Gold Grade
Officer Service Medal, 2nd Class
Service Medal for Flood Protection
Service Medal of Merit Decorated with Laurel Wreath
Service Medal for Migration Crisis Management
Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary, Military Section

Language skills

English STANAG 3.3.3.3

Memberships

Hungarian Military Logistics Association, member
Hungarian Logistics Association, member of presidential board

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Borsó Hill Covered in Snow and Grief

16:04 January 21, 2026

“Twenty years after one of the most tragic events of the Slovak nation, this year we gathered together again to commemorate those soldiers who, after their heroic performance, did not return home to hug their loved ones. We are commemorating 42 comrades who could not receive the deserved appreciation for their unselfish service, with which they contributed to keeping the peace in Kosovo. Soldiers, who are dead heroes of the Slovak Republic and the NATO military alliance, and are mourned by their homeland and, with deep condolences, our country as well”, said MoD State Secretary for Force Development and Defence Policy Dr. Zsolt Kutnyánszky in Hejce on 19 January.

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The last cycle saw the most spectacular development of the Hungarian Defence Forces

12:40 January 21, 2026

In the last four-year cycle, the Hungarian Defence Forces have undergone the most spectacular development since the 1989 change of regime – stated Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky in Hódmezővásárhely on 20 January.

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Hungarian KFOR Soldiers Pay Tribute to the Memory of the Battles of the River Don

12:49 January 20, 2026

In the first weeks of 2026, soldiers of the Hungarian KFOR contingent organized a special physical challenge in memory of the Battles of the River Don. The competition aimed not only to test endurance and team cohesion but also to honour historical remembrance.

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They Earned the “Schützenschnur”

15:40 January 14, 2026

In early January, soldiers of the Hungarian Defence Forces’ KFOR contingent serving in Kosovo took part in a live-fire exercise organized by the German Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr).

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The Hungarian Defence Forces Help in the Exceptional Snow Situation

13:27 January 8, 2026

Due to the exceptional snowfall, the Hungarian Defence Forces regrouped several pieces of equipment to different territories to get closer to possible focal points and be able to intervene within a short time if needed, said Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky in Tata on 7 January.

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Results of the Armed Forces Development Were Visible in 2025

10:16 January 8, 2026

The goal of the Hungarian Defence Forces’ modernisation, which has been in progress for years, is still clear: to build armed forces decisive in Central Europe and develop the modern, NATO-compatible and high-tech armed forces, declared Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky on 29 December.

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Hungarian Gidran Maintenance in Safe Hands

13:14 January 7, 2026

The selected personnel of the Hungarian Defence Forces recently participated in a combat vehicle service and maintenance course in Ankara and Tata, then gave an account of the newly gained knowledge successfully.

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A Country is Sovereign Until It Can Defend Itself

12:50 January 7, 2026

Being used to peace in our comfortable world, we tend to take security for granted. However, history has not halted; only our attention is fading sometimes. Freedom and sovereignty are still values to be protected, wrote Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky on his social media page on 4 January.

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Sporting challenge in KFOR

14:34 December 27, 2025

Soldiers of the KFOR KTRBN took part in the Murphy Challenge physical fitness competition held at Camp Novo Selo. The challenge, established in memory of U.S. special operations soldier Michael P. Murphy, is designed to test both physical endurance and mental resilience. Participants measured their level of preparedness by completing tasks consisting of running, push-ups, squats, and pull-ups.

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Transatlantic Ferry Flight Home

18:00 December 21, 2025

Prior to its return home in November, Hungary’s second—and final—KC-390 medium military transport aircraft underwent a comprehensive inspection and acceptance evaluation. The two-week test and verification programme was conducted by a designated team of experts from the Hungarian Defence Forces at Gavião Peixoto, within the Embraer aircraft manufacturing complex in Brazil. Our short film provides a detailed insight at how the aircraft handover and acceptance process was carried out.