Furir

Furir (from French fourrier means the person responsible for the feeding) is a Swedish military rank above Korpral and below Sergeant awarded after completing 11 months of level 8 conscript training. Level 8 means that the holder has received some basic leadership training at team leader level. Riflemen, MP men and deputy team-leaders (5 men) of cavalry and riflemen at the Nordic Battle Group typically have this rank [ref: K3, K3, K1, NBG]. Other holders of the rank are the deputy team-leaders of the Home Guard. In Sweden, the rank corresponds to Lance Corporal in the USMC and the British Army. In January 2009, holders of the rank were elevated to Sergeant and the rank ceased to exist.

Origin 1600
The responsibility of a furir was to arrange for housing as well as the distribution of food in a Company.

1833/37
The rank becomes the lowest underofficers rank.

1875
Holders of the rank Furir were elevated to Sergeant and the rank was removed.

1914
The rank was reintroduced, not categorized as underofficer, but as a rank for senior squad leaders and instructors.

1944
Establishment of the rank Överfurir above Furir. Removed 1983 as a professional rank.

2009
The rank was removed.

Reform 1972 - Rank inflation phase I
Prior to 1972, military personnel were divided into three categories Underbefäl (non-commissioned officers), Underofficerare (warrant officers) and Officerare (commissioned officers). The reform established a four-career-path system with four categories as described below and carried out major promotions of most personnel below the rank Överstelöjtnant.

The Underbefäl category was split into two categories
 * gruppbefäl to include
 * korpral - former vicekorpral
 * furir - former korpral
 * överfurir - former furir
 * plutonsofficerare to include
 * sergeant - former överfurir
 * fanjunkare - former elderly överfurir and rustmästare

The Underofficer category was renamed kompaniofficerare to include
 * fänrik - former sergeant and fanjunkare with less than 3 years of service
 * löjtnant - former sergeant and fanjunkare with 3-7 years of service
 * kapten - former sergeant, fanjunkare with a minimum of 7 years of serviceand and förvaltare

The Officer category was renamed regementsofficerare to include
 * löjtnant - Löjtnant with less than 3 years of service and former fänrik
 * kapten - kapten with less than 11 years of service and former Löjtnant with 3-11 years of service
 * major - former kapten and löjtnant with a minimum of 11 years of service
 * överstelöjtnant - överstelöjtnant and former major
 * higher ranks

Reform 1983 - Rank inflation phase II
All categories were merged into one professional officer category with the lowest rank set to fänrik. Furir, överfurir, sergeant and fanjunkare were removed as a professional ranks. Holders of the rank fanjunkare were promoted to löjtnant and the rest to fänrik.