Soldier ranks of Sweden

Soldier ranks of Sweden comprise the contracted ordinary ranks in the Swedish Armed Forces. The length of contract is currently restricted to two years due to the employment protection law (LAS).

Menig
Rank for recruits undertaking training.

Menig 1:a klass
Menig 1:a klass is a new rank introduced 2009 for soldiers who have spent at least one year in training and service. Bars will increase by one after each year in service, up to a maximum of four bars.

Vicekorpral
Vicekorpral was introduced in 2009. How to obtain the rank and what it represents have not yet been clearly defined.

Prior to 1972
The rank existed until 1972 as a trainee rank for conscripts who were undertaking training to become deputy squad leaders or squad leaders.

Korpral
Korpral used to be a trainee rank for conscripts prior the rank reform 2009 and the change to a pure professional armed forces in 2010. The rank was obtained by conscript commanders after serving a certain time (usually 4 months) and passing the mandatory tests (such as physical, weapons, enemy identification and tactics etc.).

1600 - 1700
A korpral of the infantry was in charge of a 24 men strong formation called korpralskap during the Swedish allotment system. The korpralskap consisted of four rote (teams) of 6 men each. Each rote was led by a rote master.

Reform 1833/37
Korpral was considered an under-officer rank in the Cavalry before the reorganization 1833/37 that elevated holders of the rank Korpral to Sergeants and lowered the status of the rank.

Konstapel
A corresponding artillery and air-defense rank that was established in 1500. The rank was discontinued in 1972.

Distinktionskorpral
Established 1858 as a rank above Korpral. In 1912 the rank was discontinued and holders of the rank were elevated to Furir.

Sweden: Reform 1972

 * Holders of the rank Korpral were elevated to Furir.
 * Holders of the rank Vicekorpral were elevated to Korpral.
 * Vicekopral  was discontinued.

Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank for soldiers in the cavalry, deputy squanders in regular units and is being used as a rank for deputy squad leaders in the home defense organization(Hemvarnet). The rank was obtained by conscript platoon-commanders (PB, plutonsbefäl) when finishing their conscript service (usually after 12 months). How to obtain the rank in the newly formed professional armed forces is not yet clearly defined.

2009 Furir changes name to Sergeant
The rank  Sergeant changed name to First Sergeant and Furir to Sergeant.

Furir
Furir (from French fourrier means the person responsible for the feeding) was a Swedish military rank above Korpral and Sergeant (now First Sergeant) awarded after completing the training for company commander (KB, kompanibefäl), level 8 conscript training (usually after 15 months). 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.

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. The rank corresponds to the newly introduced rank Swedish rank First Sergeant. Removed 1983 as a professional rank.

2009
The rank changes name to Sergeant

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.