Jan Salestrand

Jan Ingvar Salestrand (born 29 July 1954) is a retired Swedish Air Force lieutenant general. Salestrand has served as Director Joint Staff, head of the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters, head of the Swedish Armed Forces Special Forces and as the Commandant General in Stockholm. Since 2014 he is State Secretary to the Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist.

Career
Salestrand was born in Växjö, Sweden. He attended platoon officers course from 1974 to 1975 and served as an instructor at the Royal Västergötland Air Force Wing (F 6) in 1975. Salestrand attended company officers course from 1978 to 1979 and served as platoon commander at the Royal Västergötland Air Force Wing in 1979. In 1982 he became head of the General Department at the Royal Västergötland Air Force Wing and in 1984 he attended the Swedish Air Force War College (Flygvapnets krigshögskola, FKHS). Salestrand completed the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College's basic course from 1986 to 1987 and served as company commander at the Royal Västergötland Air Force Wing in 1987. He then completed the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College's senior course from 1988 to 1990 and served as an Operational/Tactical Officer Education (op/ta) teacher at the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College in 1990.

Salestrand served as base commander at the Royal Västergötland Air Force Wing in 1992 and was head of the Base Section in the Swedish Air Force Headquarters (Flygvapenledningen) in 1994. He attended the Air War College in United States from 1996 to 1997 and back in Sweden in 1997 he was head of the Planning Department at the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters in Stockholm. Salestrand then served as commanding officer of the Royal Jämtland Air Force Wing (F 4) from 2000 to 2003 and during this time he also attended the civil management course at Solbacka in Södermanland in 2002. He served as Deputy Chief of General Training and Management (Ställföreträdande chef för Grundorganisationsledningen) from 2003 to 2005 and then the Chief of Training and Procurement (Förbandsproduktionschef) from 2005 to 2007. In 2007 he attended the management course at Solbacka in Södermanland.

Salestrand served as Chief of Training & Development (Produktionschef) from 2007 to 2009. On 7 May 2009 he was appointed Director Joint Staff (Chef för ledningsstaben) and head of the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters. In this position he was also the head of the Swedish Armed Forces Special Forces and the Commandant General in Stockholm. Salestrand acted from 31 January 2013 until 18 March 2013 as Deputy Supreme Commander and Chief of Swedish Armed Forces. This because of Supreme Commander General Sverker Göransson's sick leave for exhaustion. Salestrand left his positions and retired from the military in 2014. On 7 October 2014 Salestrand was appointed State Secretary to the Minister for Defence Peter Hultqvist.

Personal life
Salestrand has three children.

Dates of rank

 * 1975 – Sergeant
 * 1978 – Fänrik
 * 1981 – Lieutenant
 * 1983 – Captain
 * 1987 – Major
 * 1992 – Lieutenant Colonel
 * 1998 – Colonel
 * 2003 – Brigadier General
 * 2005 – Major General
 * 2007 – Lieutenant General

Awards and decorations
Salestrand's awards:


 * For Zealous and Devoted Service to the State
 * Swedish Armed Forces Conscript Medal
 * United Nations Medal, UNFICYP
 * Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
 * Distinguished Service Medal, Estonia Armed Forces
 * FVRF förtjänstmedalj silver
 * Swedish Women's Voluntary Defence Service Medal of Merit in Silver (Lottornas förtjänstmedalj silver)
 * Swedish Working Dog Association Medal of Merit in Gold (Brukshundklubbens förtjänstmedalj guld)
 * Swedish Air Force Airfield Engineers Medal of Merit in Gold (Flygvapnets flygfältsingenjörers förtjänstmedalj guld)
 * Swedish Air Force Airfield Engineers Gösta Larsson's Plaque (Flygfältsingenjörernas Gösta Larsson plakett)
 * Royal Jämtland Air Force Wing Medal of Merit in Silver (Jämtlands flygflottiljs förtjänstmedalj i silver)
 * Swedish Women Drivers Association Medal of Merit in Gold (Sveriges kvinnliga bilkårers riksförbunds förtjänstmedalj i guld)