The minister

Tibor Benkő PhD
Minister of Defence

Personal information:

Studies:

1975-1979 Kossuth Lajos Military College, Artillery branch
1985-1988 Kalinyin Artillery Academy, St. Petersburg
2000-2001 Army War College, USA
2004-2006 Szent István University, Human Resource Management
2007-2010 Zrínyi Miklós National Defence University, Kossuth Lajos Doctoral School of Military Sciences, PhD degree

Military career:

1979-1981 36th Artillery Regiment, platoon leader, deputy battery commander, Kiskunhalas
1981-1985 36th Artillery Regiment, regiment operation officer, Kiskunhalas
1988-1990 5th Army Artillery Branch, staff officer, Székesfehérvár
1990-1993 36th Artillery Brigade, deputy commander, Kiskunhalas
1993-1995 36th Artillery Brigade, commander, Kiskunhalas
1995-2000 36th Artillery Regiment, commander, Kiskunhalas
2001-2005 5th Bocskai István Light Infantry Brigade, commander, Debrecen
2005-2006 Deputy Commander of the Hungarian Land Forces Command, Székesfehérvár
2006 Acting Commander of the Hungarian Land Forces Command, Székesfehérvár
2007-2009 Deputy Commander (Land Forces) of Joint Force Command, Székesfehérvár
2009-2010 Commander of Joint Force Command, Székesfehérvár
2010-2018 Chief of Defence Staff
2018- Minister of Defence

Foreign languages:

Medals and Decorations:

Order of Merit of Hungary, Commander's Cross with the Star (military division)
Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic, Officer's Cross
Hunyadi János Award
Service Merit Award Decorated with Laurel Wreath
Service Award First Class
Service Medal for Homeland Defence Silver degree;
Service Medal for Homeland Defence Bronze degree;
Service Award for Migration Crisis Management
Service Medal for Flood Control
Service Award for Flood Control
Officer’s Service Award Decorated with Laurel Wreath (after 40 years of service)
Officer's Service Award I. Class (after 30 years of service)
Officer's Service Award II. Class
Officer's Service Medal (after 10 years of service)
Officer of the French Legion of Honour
US Legion of Merit, Commander Degree
St. George Service Merit Award given by the Minister of Interior Affairs
Cross of Merit of ‘56 Patriotism
The First Grade of the Commemorative Medal of the Ministry of Defence, Slovak Republic
The First Grade of the Service Medal of the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, Slovak Republic
St. John Capistran of Merit, Golden Degree
Sipos Gyula Award given by the City of Székesfehérvár
Distinguished Citizen of Town Tiszalök