Command Sergeant Major Istvan Kriston

Command Sergeant Major of the Hungarian Defense Forces

Command Sgt. Maj. Istvan Kriston was born on 22 May, 1972, in Mezokovesd, Hungary.  He entered the Hungarian Army on 26 August, 1992, as a conscript Soldier. 

Command Sgt. Maj.  Kriston has served in a variety of leadership positions from squad level to headquarters at the Defense Forces. His positions and assignments included squad leader;  team leader; platoon leader; platoon sergeant; S3 senior NCO at the 24th Reconnaissance Battalion; staff NCO, HDF Operational Center, Disaster Relief and Crisis Management Department; senior NCO to the HDF Operational Center commander.

Command Sgt. Maj.  Kriston was appointed as the 2nd Command Sergeant Major of the Hungarian Defence Forces on 12 August, 2011.

Command Sgt. Maj. Kriston has significant multinational, coalition, joint service and interagency leadership experience as well. His deployments included Close and  Force Protection NCO (Hungarian Engineer Contingent SFOR mission at Okucani); HUMINT Operator, Allied Military Intelligence Battalion, SFOR (Tuzla); and chief NCO to the DCOM EUFOR HQ (Sarajevo).

Command Sgt. Maj.  Kriston’s awards and decorations include the Airborne badge, NCO Professional Development Ribbon (US ARMY), NCO Service Medal (10 years), NCO Service Medal (20 years), Peace Support Operations Medal x4, NATO Service Medal x3, and the EUFOR Service Medal.  He is married to former Agnes Fekete, they have 2 daughters, Szilvia and Anna.