The Command System of the Swedish Army

[Micael]

The Sergeant Major of the Army has made a go at trying to explain the army’s command structure for an international audience. Detailed and informative, much more so than I could manage.

The command system of the Swedish Army

Redaktören26 juni, 2023

Editor’s introduction: The Swedish Armed Forces have been gravitating towards NATO integration for several years. During the years in the Balkans, Afghanistan, Mali and other joint international missions, and during years of joint training, our Army has become quite interoperable with NATO. However, there are still differences between, for example, the British Army. This article explains how the Swedish Army is manned; what kind of personnel we train and deploy, the historical context regarding the organisational concept, and the rank structure of the Swedish Army. The author, Kenneth Felldén, is the Sergeant Major of the Army.

/The editor

Historical background

The forming of the current Swedish Army took place after the dissolving of the Kalmar Union in 1523. The Swedish Army Counts the start of its history when Gustav Wasa was crowned as a King in the independent state of Sweden in June 1523. King Gustav Wasa (also known as Gustav I) began rebuilding the Army to be staffed by footmen through compulsory military service and horsemen through volunteer service. At the Arboga Diet in 1536, the Riksdag (parliament) decided that cavalry units would be raised in the various provinces. At the Diet in Västerås in 1544, a similar decision was made to raise infantry units in the various provinces. Personnel, officers, NCOs, soldiers, and civilians were recruited on mobilization.

Gustav II Adolf tactically and organizationally modernized the Swedish armed forces. Around 1623, the regiments were reorganized into pure regional regiments, later approved in the 1634 defense billet. The billet mandated that twenty infantry regiments (13 in Sweden and 7 in Finland) and eight cavalry regiments (5 in Sweden and 3 in Finland) were to be recruited.

In the early 1680s, Charles XI reorganized the Swedish armed forces into a uniform body of units throughout the kingdom. Units and regiments were organized with commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers, and enlisted soldiers.

In 1901 the system was changed to be based on officers, NCOs, conscripts, and mobilization units reinforced with enlisted soldiers. A training and administration organization was formed to train conscript units. In 1952 the system of enlisted soldiers was abundant.

In 1983 the command system was changed dramatically; all the SNCOs got a commission and became officers. NCOs were only trained as conscript squad leaders and platoon sergeants, and the junior officers were trained to conduct the NCO job of training and educating conscript soldiers and units. After rising through the ranks of OF-2 and OF-3 to OF-4, the job shifted to a more traditional officer position. Some remained as OF-1 or OF-2, developed deep expertise in different systems, and worked as instructors like NCOs.

In 2008 Sweden placed the conscript service on hold and established an all-volunteered force, in 2018 the Swedish parliament decided to reactivate the Conscript service for privates and NCOs.


Leo 2, also known as Stridsvagn 122, during exercise. Its crew crew can be either conscript or enlisted. Photo: Joel Thungren, Försvarsmakten
The Army today
A system with three distinct categories, enlisted soldiers and Non-Commissioned Officers, Senior Non-Commissioned Officers, and Officers, has been implemented. The SNCO is a separate and distinct category of personnel in the Swedish Armed Forces. The SNCO ranks are equivalent to officers, OR-6 to OF-1, OR-7 to OF-2, OR-8 to OF-3, and OR-9 to OF-4. In Swedish service, an SNCO is afforded the privileges of an officer. The OF-1 and OF-2 that had developed deep expertise after 1983 and stayed in their rank are now placed as SNCO, OR-7.

Each category can be employed on active duty or in the reserve. Enlisted soldiers and NCOs can be employed for a maximum of twelve years. SNCOs and officers are employed based on the same commission and are employed until retirement at 61 or 67- years of age.

Conscript training is essential to unit training, manning the Army, and creating a reserve. Mobilization units are rotated in about ten years (eight to twelve years) and usually have to complete two refresher training before being rotated. Units with high availability requirements are set up as active units, often combined with higher capacity requirements.

Mobilization units should, as far as possible, be trained as conscripts in a coherent platoon to company size units. Some overtraining of the number of conscripts is used to recruit enlisted soldiers, NCOs, and officers.

The Army’s overall basic training concept is based on integrating leader training and unit training as early as possible. This means conducting unit-type exercises regularly and then continuing training at the next tactical level. Army units achieve their objectives through unit training, i.e., ”company in battalion framework” and, for independent companies, ”platoon in the company framework.”

The historical regiment from 1634 is today’s training regiment responsible for setting up part of a brigade or battalions to the division or brigade. In some cases, independent battalions or companies.

In a typical Swedish brigade, the first battalion is an active unit, and the second and third are mobilization units. Combat support and combat Service support battalions in the Brigade is organized in a similar way. The active units consist of enlisted and commissioned personnel, full-time service, or in the reserve. The mobilization units consist mainly of conscripts and some full-time and reserve personnel

In the Swedish Army:

Squad leaders are OR-5, and deputy squad leaders are OR-4.
Maneuver platoon leaders are OF-1, and service support or combat service support platoon leaders are OR-6 or OR-7. Platoon sergeants are OR-6.
Company commanders are OF-2, and service support company commanders are OR-8. Deputy company commanders are OF-1 or OR-7. Company First Sergeants are OR-7.
Battalion commanders are OF-4, 2iC is OF-3, and battalion Command Sergeant Majors are OR-8.
Brigade and training regiment commanders are OF-5, 2iC is OF-4, and brigade and training regiment Command Sergeant Majors are OR-9.
Division commanders are OF-6, 2iC is OF-5, and division Command Sergeant majors are OR-9.
The Commander of the Army is OF-7, 2iC is OF-6, and the Sergeant Major of the Army is OR-9.

Infantry soldiers of the Royal Life Guards conducting mine search. Photo: Svante Rinalder, Försvarsmakten
Draft and selection of conscripts

Approximately 20-25% of the population that turns 18 are called to selection for conscript service each year. Approximately 20-25% of them are selected for a specific position depending on individual physical and mental abilities. This means that, for example, a person selected to be trained as a tank gunner or a squad leader has the right abilities to be trained for that position in a relatively short period.

Conscript Privates

Conscripts private’s act mainly at the squad level as an operator. The conscript service for privates is typically ten months long. Conscript privates have the position of OR-1. The conscript privates are found in mobilization units.

Conscript Squad leaders

Conscript squad leaders act mainly as squad leaders, deputy squad leaders, or operators. The conscript service for squad leaders is typically twelve months long. Conscript squad leaders can be promoted to OR-4 after at least 150 days of service. The conscript squad leader is found in mobilization units.

Conscript platoon sergeants

The conscript platoon sergeant acts mainly at the platoon or troop level. The conscript service for platoon sergeants is typically fifteen months long. Conscript platoon sergeants can be promoted to OR-4 after at least 150 days of service, OR-5 after at least 270 days of service. The conscript platoon sergeants are found in mobilization units.

Enlisted soldiers

Enlisted soldiers operate mainly at the squad level. Enlisted soldiers start at OR-2. The enlisted soldier can be promoted to OR-2 after at least one year of service. The OR-2 gets a stripe after each year of service as enlisted. The OR-2 can be promoted to OR-3 after at least five years of service as OR-2.

Enlisted soldiers are found in active units, mobilization units, and the training and administration organization. Enlisted soldiers in the reserve are found in active units.

Non-commissioned Officers

NCOs operate mainly at the squad level as leaders, deputy leaders, or operators. NCO starts as OR-4 after conducting a 6-8 weeks junior leader course. The NCO can be promoted to OR-5 after at least one year of service as OR-4 and to the senior OR-5 rank after at least three years as OR-5.

NCOs are found in active, mobilization, and training and administration units. NCOs in the reserve are found in active units.

Senior Non-commissioned Officers

SNCOs are characterized by practical skills and expertise developed primarily through experience. This expertise may be exercised as a specialist, staff member, lower-level leader, or in a command team at any level. The SNCOs are also the primary bearers and developers of military training and the exercise of direct leadership.

To become an SNCO, an eighteen months long Secialistofficersutbildning (SNCO course) is needed. During this time, they are Cadets (OR-5). After graduation, they are employed with the same commission as officers and given an SNCO rank of OR-6. After at least four years of service, the SNCO can be promoted to the senior OR-6 rank. The normative rank for SNCOs is OR-7. An SNCO in OR-7 with deep expertise in a specific area, and at least twelve years of service as an OR-7, can be promoted to the senior OR-7 rank.

The position for an SNCO may be OR-8 or OR-9 if the duties require competence across functional/unit type/system boundaries and involve being a systems specialist at the operational level. To be promoted to OR-8, the SNCO completes the Högre specialistofficers utbildning (Sergeant Major Course) during ten month.

SNCOs are found in active units, mobilization units, and the training and administration organization. SNCOs in the reserve are found in active units and mobilization units.

Officers

The officers are characterized by leadership and command of units. Ultimately, the core of the officer’s responsibilities and skills is to make decisions on large-scale use of force and to lead units in combat situations. This requires a good understanding of the role and context of the Armed Forces in peace, security crisis, and the event of an armed attack. Officers are also the primary bearers and developers of leadership and are responsible for developing the officer profession.

To become an officer, individuals need to attend a three-year-long Officersprogram (officer’s course, Bachelor’s degree). During this time, they are Cadets (OR-5). After graduation, they are employed with a commission and given an officer rank of OF-1. After at least two years of service, the officer can be promoted to the senior OF-1 rank. After at least two years at the senior OF-1 rank and completing the ten months long Taktisk kurs Armén (Captain Career course), the officer can be promoted to OF-2.


Officers’ graduation ceremony at Karlberg, Stockholm. Photo: Niklas Englund, Försvarsmakten
The normative rank for an officer is OF-3 and requires that an officer complete a one-year Högre officersprogram (staff course). The position for the officer may be OF-4, after one more year at Högre officersprogram (staff course, Master degree) if the duties require the competencies at the higher tactical and operational level. The post for an officer may be OF-5, or OF6-9 if the duties require the officer competencies described above at a strategic level.

Officers are found in active units, mobilization units, and the training and administration organization. Officers in the reserve are found in active units and mobilization units.

Civilian personnel

Civilian employees placed in a military unit after mobilization are military personnel; if the position is a leadership position, they are given a military rank representing the tactical level on which position they are placed. Civil personnel’s ranks are marked with a colored textile edging on the lower part of their rank ensigns.

Army ranks

Swedish Army ranks in relation to the NATO system and, each ranks positions relative to each other. The ranks are translated to US Army ranks.


Command Sergeant Major Kenneth Felldén
Sergeant major of the Army

[jemhouston]

Thank you

[Micael]

Thank you

Thanks for reading.