Karl Engelbrektson
Engelbrektson in 2023.
Birth nameKarl Lorentz Engelbrekt Engelbrektson
Born (1962-02-02) 2 February 1962 (age 62)
Falkenberg, Sweden
AllegianceSweden
Service/branchSwedish Army
Years of service1981–2023
RankMajor General
UnitBohuslän Regiment (1981-91)
Värmland Regiment (1991-96)
Commands held
Battles/wars2004 unrest in Kosovo

Major General Karl Lorentz Engelbrekt Engelbrektson (born 12 February 1962) is a retired Swedish Army officer. He completed the Advanced Course at the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College in 1988 and later joined the Värmland Regiment, where he rose to the rank of major. He furthered his education at the Swedish National Defence College and worked on arms control issues at the Ministry of Defence.

Engelbrektson organized a joint training section within the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters from 1998 to 1999 and attended the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. He held various leadership positions, including deputy brigade commander and commander of the 9th Swedish battalion in Kosovo. He also served in the German EU Force Headquarters.

In 2005, he became the Force Commander of the Nordic Battlegroup and held several important roles in military education and leadership. He served as Chief of Army from June 2016 to June 2023 before retiring in June 2023, succeeded by Major General Jonny Lindfors.

Early life

Engelbrektson was born on 12 February 1962 in Falkenberg, Sweden,[1] the son of Olle Engelbrektson and his wife Anneli. He grew up in Hunnebostrand.[2] Engelbrektson attended Gullmarsskolan in Lysekil Municipality from 1979 to 1981[3] and then did his military service at Bohuslän Regiment (I 17) in 1981.[2] Engelbrektson attended the Swedish Infantry Officers' College from 1982 to 1984[3] when he was commissioned as an officer with the rank of second lieutenant.[2]

Career

After becoming an officer, he returned to his old regiment. In 1985 his left hand was severely injured in an accident involving explosives.[4] He passed the Advanced Course at the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College from 1987 to 1988[3] and in connection with the disbandment of Bohuslän Regiment in 1991, Engelbrektson transferred to Värmland Regiment (I 2) where he later was promoted to major.[2] Engelbrektson passed the Staff Course at the Swedish National Defence College from 1991 to 1992 and attended the same college from 1994 to 1996.[3] He then served at the Swedish Military Intelligence and Security Service and then the Ministry of Defence with arms control issues and became the first desk officer for European Union (EU) military co-operation.[5]

From 1998 to 1999, Engelbrektson organized a new joint training section within the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters.[5] He attended the Geneva Centre for Security Policy focusing on International Relations and Conflict Management from 1999 to 2000.[3] He was then tasked to organize and lead a new international manning section within the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters.[5] In 2001, Engelbrektson was appointed deputy brigade commander of Gotland Regiment (P 18)[2] and from December 2003 until June 2004 he was commander of the 9th Swedish battalion (KS09), part of Kosovo Force (KFOR), in Kosovo, where he experienced the mid-March fights in Čaglavica.[6] He also served as deputy commander in the German EU Force Headquarters (FHQ) in Ulm, Germany.[5] In June 2004, he was appointed acting commanding officer of Gotland Military District (MDG), a position he held until January 2005 when he was appointed Force Commander of the Nordic Battlegroup (NBG). Engelbrektson left that position in July 2008.[3]

During this time, he also passed the Senior Course in National Security at the Swedish National Defence College from 2004 to 2006. From 2009 to 2010, Engelbrektson did the Strategic Leadership and International Relations Course at the Royal College of Defence Studies in United Kingdom and from January 2010 until August 2010 he served as Military Advisor, European Union and NATO Policy at the Ministry of Defence in Stockholm.[3] From September 2010 he served as military representative to the European Union and NATO in the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the European Union.[3] From 2013 to 2014, Engelbrektson was chairman of the NATO Connecting Forces Initiative, Task Force; negotiating new partnerships on behalf of seven nations in view of the 2014 Wales summit.[6] Engelbrektson served as Assistant Chief of Armed Forces Training & Procurement from 2014 to 2016[7] before being appointed Chief of Army starting from 1 June 2016.[8] His appointment was prolonged from 1 January 2021 to 28 February 2023.[9] On 1 January 2023, his appointment was prolonged again to 30 June 2023.[10] He was succeeded by Major General Jonny Lindfors on 18 June 2023.[11][12] Engelbrektson was placed at the disposal of the Chief of the Defence Staff from 18 June to 30 June 2023 when he retired.[13]

Personal life

Engelbrektson is married to Sofi and they have two children.[14]

Dates of rank

Awards and decorations

Swedish

Foreign

Honours

References

  1. ^ Sveriges befolkning 1980 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Sveriges släktforskarförb. 2004. ISBN 91-87676-37-0. SELIBR 9632925.
  2. ^ a b c d e Blomgren, Ulf (5 April 2016). "Bohusläningen som blir chef för armén". Bohusläningen (in Swedish). Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Major General Karl Lorentz Engelbrekt Engelbrektson". New Westminster College. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  4. ^ Gummesson, Jonas (7 August 2016). "Arméchefen: "Det finns brister på ledningssidan"". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d "Major General Karl Engelbrektson" (PDF). www.euro-defence.eu. Berlin Security Conference. 28 November 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  6. ^ a b c "Modern militär professionalism. Erfarenheter, utmaningar & möjligheter" (PDF) (in Swedish). Swedish Centre for Studies of Armed Forces and Society. 8 September 2015. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  7. ^ Andersson, Björn (2016). Kungl Krigsvetenskapsakademien: Svenska krigsmanna sällskapet (till 1805), Kungl Krigsvetenskapsakademien : 20 år med akademien och dess ledamöter 1996-2016 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Kungl. Krigsvetenskapsakademien. p. 62. ISBN 978-91-980878-8-8. SELIBR 20033514.
  8. ^ "Ny arméchef utsedd" [New Chief of Army appointed] (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 4 April 2016. Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
  9. ^ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (6). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 8. 2020. SELIBR 4109339.
  10. ^ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (6). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 9. 2022. SELIBR 4109339.
  11. ^ "Nya arméchefen: Avgörandet står på marken" (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 18 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  12. ^ Engelbrektson, Karl (13 June 2023). "Nu närmar sig ett långt yrkesliv i uniform sin ände" (in Swedish). Swedish Army. Retrieved 19 June 2023 – via Facebook.
  13. ^ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (3). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 9. 2023. SELIBR 4109339.
  14. ^ Lidén, Erik (2005). "Två unga chefer i Kosovo" [Two young commanders in Kosovo]. Vårt försvar: tidskrift (in Swedish) (1). Stockholm: Allmänna försvarsföreningen. SELIBR 3430365. Archived from the original on 20 August 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  15. ^ "Försvarsutbildarnas riksstämma". Skaraborgs Allehanda (in Swedish). 20 June 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  16. ^ Engelbrektson, Karl (9 March 2023). "Under besöket i Skövde blev jag mycket förvånad, mycket rörd och mycket stolt..." (in Swedish). Swedish Army. Retrieved 13 April 2023 – via Facebook.
  17. ^ "Idag har givande bilaterala samtal med franska armén genomförts där Arméchefen [...]" (in Swedish). Swedish Army. 14 June 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022 – via Facebook.
  18. ^ "Åtta svenskar får franska Hederslegionen och Ordre National du Mérite" (Press release) (in Swedish). Embassy of France, Stockholm. 16 January 2011. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
  19. ^ Engelbrektson, Karl (19 December 2022). "Ikväll blev jag mycket överraskad..." (in Swedish). Swedish Army. Retrieved 13 April 2023 – via Facebook.
  20. ^ Engelbrektson, Karl (15 November 2022). "I år är det 67 år sedan den tyska försvarsmakten Bundeswehr grundades..." (in Swedish). Swedish Army. Retrieved 13 April 2023 – via Facebook.
  21. ^ "Finska arméns kommendör, generallöjtnant Petri Hulkko besökte mig nyligen - med en djupt hedrande överraskning. Arméchef Karl Engelbrektson" (in Swedish). Swedish Army. 12 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021 – via Facebook.
  22. ^ "Order of Innocence Grand Master". Order of Innocence. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
Military offices Preceded byBengt Svensson Assistant Chief of Armed Forces Training & Procurement 2014–2016 Succeeded byAnders Callert Preceded byAnders Brännström Chief of Army 2016–2023 Succeeded byJonny Lindfors
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