Vice Admiral
José Héctor Orozco Tocaven

Director of the Center for Higher Naval Studies

Vice Admiral of the General Corps, Staff graduate, José Héctor Orozco Tocaven, Director of the Center for Higher Naval Studies, was born in Mexico City on September 20th, 1962.

He joined the Mexican Naval Academy in 1981 as a Cadet of the General Corps. He graduated as a Midshipman in 1985; later he was promoted to the rank of Ensign, after obtaining the degree of Engineer in Naval Sciences. On November 20th , 2022, he was promoted to the rank he currently holds.

As part of his academic training, he completed the Command Course and Major in Computer Science at the Center for Higher Naval Studies (CESNAV); the Combined Strategic Intelligence Training Program at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) of the United States of America; the Course for Public Affairs Officers at the Defense Information School (DINFOS) of the United States of America; the Diploma in Total Quality and Process Improvement from the Mexico Autonomous Institute of Technology (ITAM); the Diploma in Higher Defense Studies and the Diploma in Higher Hemispheric Defense Studies from the French Inter-Army Defense College (CID); as well as the Masters in International Service from the American University in Washington, D. C., USA; and the Masters in International Service from the American University in Washington, D.C., United States of America; Master in Hemispheric Security and Defense from the National Academy of Political and Strategic Studies (ANEPE) in the Republic of Chile; as well as Master in Naval Administration and National Security from CESNAV.

He has served as Junior Officer, Chief Engineer and Executive Officer in several Surface Units of the Mexican Navy and was Commanding Officer of the following surface units: Coastal Patrol Vessel "Laguna de Cuyutlán", and the Oceanic Patrol Vessels: "Mariano Matamoros", "Virgilio Uribe" and "Baja California".

Among his main administrative assignments are: Director of Protocol of the Secretariat of the Navy; Chief of the Subsection of Liaison and Diplomatic Management of the Second Section of the General Staff of the Navy; Director of Liaison and Coordination of the Naval Intelligence Unit, Chief of International Affairs in the Commission of Special Studies of the Mexican Navy; Director of Technological Areas, Humanities, Research and languages of CESNAV and Head of the Social Communication Unit of SEMAR.

For his career of more than 40 years in the Active Service of the Mexican Navy, he has been awarded the "Decoration of Perseverance" from Sixth to First Class; "Echelon" Medal in grade "Argent" of the French National Defense; Special Medal of the Inter-American Defense Board and the Decoration for Special Merits of the Association of Military, Naval and Air Attachés Accredited in Mexico.