Swedish Army Rank Insignia

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For the official view of how to translate ranks please see http://www.mil.se/attachments/thefacts_2005.pdf page 26.

The only logical definition of an officer is 'one who holds a commision'. There is no confusion regarding this. All reserve and serving (reserv- och yrkes) officers in Sweden hold a commision. Basing the rank structure on which level officers serve in deployments abroad is incorrect. Nor should the rank structure of the US Army be considered the sine qua non of armed forces ranks.

Currently the Swedish army is moving towards a system wherein conscripts are either privates, specialists, or squad leaders. Until this is fully in place the current rank structure is worthy of some interest.

Until the middle of the 1990s conscripts serving for 15 months in the army became conscript officers with the rank of "fänrik" (2nd Lieutenant) without receiving a formal commision. The final 3 months of their service was called "kadettskola" (cadet academy) and was designed to provide a solid grounding in company level tactics. Training in the Swedish Army was concentrated towards the wartime organization, as no field units existed prior to mobilisation.

Conscripts in the army served either 7.5, 10, 12 or 15 months. Privates served 7.5, specialists and squad leaders served 10 (squad leaders received the rank of furir, or sergeant (now corporal). Conscripts serving 12 months received the rank of staff sergeant and normally commanded units of half-platoon size. Conscript officers were normally 2IC of platoons or commanded them. They also served as company quartermasters (commanding the headquartes and support platoons), FIST commanders and pararanger squad leaders.

When serving abroad (on UN duty, or, later, as part of other peacekeeping/peaceforcing operations, such as ISAF), it was and is common practice to drop one level to ensure the high quality of the units. Conscript officers are seldom seen to lead platoons on international operations.

As regards commisioned officers in the Swedish Army, 2nd Lieutenants are to serve as platoon leaders or 2IC of platoons, Lieutenants as platoon leaders and, sometimes, as 2IC of a company. Captains command companies and fill most staff positions at battalion level. Majors are to serve as battalion commanders and battalion 2IC as well as on staff postions at brigade level. Above the rank of major things become more fluid. Colonels, however, commanded brigades.

Officer Insignia

NATO Code² OF-10 OF-9 OF-8 OF-7 OF-6 OF-5 OF-4 OF-3 OF-2

Troop Formation General Persons
Generalpersoner Regiment Grade
Regementsbefäl Company Grade
Fältmarskalk¹

General Generallöjtnant Generalmajor Brigadgeneral Överste av första graden³ Överste Överstelöjtnant Major Kapten
US General Lieutenant General Major General Brigadier General Brigadier Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain

Abbreviation Gen Öv ÖvLt Mj Kn

¹ Honorary/War time rank. Last appointment in 19th centurary.
² Sweden is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Thus this comparison is not official and may not be accurate.
³ As of June 1 2000, No one can longer be appointed Colonel First Class, or Överste av första graden. The rank Brigadier General, or Brigadgeneral, is used instead. However, already appointed Colonel First Class was not automatically promoted, thus Colonel First Class will continue to exist until those persons are either retired or promoted.
⁵ Conscripts doing their conscription as Company Commander students
(Kompanibefälselever, or Värnpliktiga Chefer) is appointed Staff Sergeant (Värnpliktig Fänrik) after his/hers completed service period (usually 15 months).
Company Leader School KBS will change name to Platoon Leader School PBS and graduates will be appointed Sergeants. Despite the name, most students will be trained as squad leaders and a smaller portion as deputy platoon commanders.

NATO Code²	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2
Troop Formation	General Persons Generalpersoner	Regiment Grade Regementsbefäl	Company Grade
	Fältmarskalk¹
	General	Generallöjtnant	Generalmajor	Brigadgeneral	Överste av första graden³	Överste	Överstelöjtnant	Major	Kapten
US		General	Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier General	Brigadier	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain
Abbreviation		Gen					Öv	ÖvLt	Mj	Kn
¹ Honorary/War time rank. Last appointment in 19th centurary. ² Sweden is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Thus this comparison is not official and may not be accurate. ³ As of June 1 2000, No one can longer be appointed Colonel First Class, or Överste av första graden. The rank Brigadier General, or Brigadgeneral, is used instead. However, already appointed Colonel First Class was not automatically promoted, thus Colonel First Class will continue to exist until those persons are either retired or promoted. ⁵ Conscripts doing their conscription as Company Commander students (Kompanibefälselever, or Värnpliktiga Chefer) is appointed Staff Sergeant (Värnpliktig Fänrik) after his/hers completed service period (usually 15 months). Company Leader School KBS will change name to Platoon Leader School PBS and graduates will be appointed Sergeants. Despite the name, most students will be trained as squad leaders and a smaller portion as deputy platoon commanders.

Officer and Conscripts Insignia

NATO Code² OF-2 OF-1 Officer Students OR-5 OR-4 OR-3 none OR-2 OR-1

Troop Formation Platoon Grade colspan=2
Team Leaders colspan=4

No insigna No insignia
Kapten Löjtnant Fänrik Kadett 2 året⁴ Kadett 1 året⁴ Sergeant Furir Korpral Menig Menig
US Army Captain Lieutenant 2nd lieutenant Cadet 2nd Year Cadet 1st Year Staff Sergeant Corporal Lance Corporal Private Private

Abbreviation Kn Lt Fk Sgt Fu Krp Vpl Vpl

⁴ Cadets have the same formal rank as a Sergeant. Because of this they're not uncommonly called Angle Sergants (or Vinkelserganter), because of the angled lines.
⁴Students are admitted to a two year programme at Military Academy (Militärhögskolan) after completing 10 months of basic military training. The length of the school will extend to three years as of fall 2006 and applications for awarding students some college level credits is awaiting approval by the Swedish Board of Higher Education. Provided students earn enough credits for an associate degree, graduates of the three year programｍe, will meet the same academical requirement as Staff Non Commissioned Officers in the USA.

² Sweden is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Thus this comparison is not official and may not be accurate.

NATO Code²	OF-2	OF-1	Officer Students	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	none	OR-2	OR-1
Troop Formation	Platoon Grade	colspan=2
Team Leaders	colspan=4

												No insigna	No insignia
	Kapten	Löjtnant	Fänrik	Kadett 2 året⁴	Kadett 1 året⁴		Sergeant		Furir	Korpral	Menig	Menig
US Army		Captain	Lieutenant	2nd lieutenant	Cadet 2nd Year	Cadet 1st Year		Staff Sergeant		Corporal	Lance Corporal	Private	Private	Abbreviation	Kn	Lt	Fk	Sgt	Fu	Krp	Vpl	Vpl
⁴ Cadets have the same formal rank as a Sergeant. Because of this they're not uncommonly called Angle Sergants (or Vinkelserganter), because of the angled lines. ⁴Students are admitted to a two year programme at Military Academy (Militärhögskolan) after completing 10 months of basic military training. The length of the school will extend to three years as of fall 2006 and applications for awarding students some college level credits is awaiting approval by the Swedish Board of Higher Education. Provided students earn enough credits for an associate degree, graduates of the three year programｍe, will meet the same academical requirement as Staff Non Commissioned Officers in the USA. ² Sweden is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Thus this comparison is not official and may not be accurate.

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