Head of State Appoints Brigadier-Generals

At a ceremony held in the Mirror Room of Sándor Palace, besides a promotion to the rank of police lieutenant general and appointments as fire service general, prison service general and finance guard general, the head of state handed over letters of appointment as brigadier-general to two colonels of the Hungarian Defence Forces as well.

The event was attended by, among others, Minister of Defence Dr. István Simicskó and Chief of Defence Gen. Dr. Tibor Benkő. On the occasion of 23 October, Hungary’s national holiday, Col. Péter Fodor, Director-General, Ministry of Defence Directorate General of the Defence Economy Office, and Col. Zoltán Schmidt, Deputy Commander and Chief of Logistic Forces at the HDF Joint Force Command were appointed to brigadier-generals by the President of Hungary.

Brig.-Gen. Péter Fodor started his career in 1996 at the Controlling Department of the HDF Finance and Accountancy Directorate. He studied economics at the Bolyai János Military Technical College, the Budapest University of Economics and the Business School of the Corvinus University of Budapest. From January 2015, he was head of the Controlling Department of the Ministry of Defence, and has been Director-General of the Ministry of Defence Directorate General of the Defence Economy Office since February 2016. He was decorated several times, and received the Golden Grade of the Service Medal among others.

Brig.-Gen. Zoltán Schmidt started his military service in 1990, as company commander with the HDF 25th Klapka György Armored Brigade. After finishing the Zalka Máté Military Technical College, he graduated as military technology manager from the Zrínyi Miklós National Defence University. He was promoted to colonel in 2010, when he served first as senior officer and then chief of the HDF Joint Force Command Logistic Operations Directorate. He has been serving in his current position as Chief of Logistic Forces at the HDF Joint Force Command since June 2014. He was decorated several times, and besides the Golden Grade of the Service Medal, he also received the Service Medal with Laurel Wreath.