Western Military Region (Sweden)

Western Military Region
Western Military Region
Västra militärregionen
Active	2013–present
Country	Sweden
Allegiance	Swedish Armed Forces
Branch	Joint
Type	Military region
Role	Operational, territorial and tactical activities
Part of	Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters
Garrison/HQ	Skövde
Commanders
Current; commander	COL Peter Hederstedt

The Western Military Region (Swedish: Västra militärregionen, MR N) is a Swedish military region within the Swedish Armed Forces. Established in 2013, the military region staff in based in Skövde. The military region includes Halland County, Värmland County, Västra Götaland County and Örebro County.

History

The Western Military Region was formed on 1 January 2013 as Military Region West, as one of four military regions in Sweden. The military region includes Halland County, Värmland County, Västra Götaland County and Örebro County.^[1] The region's staff is located in Skövde with the task of leading surveillance and protection tasks, implementing civil-military cooperation and support to society. The Western Military Region's Home Guard battalions are 10 in number.^[1] On 1 October 2018, a separate command position was appointed for Military Region West. From 2019, the name Western Military Region was adopted. From 1 January 2020, all military regions are independent units subordinate to the Chief of Home Guard. In doing so, the regions also take over the command in peacetime from the training groups with their Home Guard battalions. Each military region has production management responsibility. This meant that five training groups were transferred from Skaraborg Regiment to the Western Military Region.In a government's bill, however, the Swedish government emphasized that the military regional division could be adjusted, depending on the outcome of the investigation Ansvar, ledning och samordning inom civilt försvar ("Responsibility, leadership and coordination in civil defense").^[1]

Units

Current units

Hallandsgruppen (HLG)
- 45th Home Guard Battalion/Halland Battalion
Elfsborgsgruppen (EBG)
- 41st Home Guard Battalion/Southern Gothenburg Battalion
- 42nd Home Guard Battalion/Northern Gothenburg Battalion
- 43rd Home Guard Battalion/Gothenburg Archipelago Battalion
- 44th Home Guard Battalion/Älvsborg Battalion
Bohusdalsgruppen (BDG)
- 40th Home Guard Battalion/Bohus Battalion
Skaraborgsgruppen (SBG)
- 38th Home Guard Battalion/Kinne Battalion
- 39th Home Guard Battalion/Kåkind Battalion
Örebro- och Värmlandsgruppen (ÖVG)
- 19th Home Guard Battalion/Värmland Battalion
- 20th Home Guard Battalion/Sannahed Battalion

Heraldry and traditions

Coat of arms

The coat of arms of the Western Military Region was previously used by the Southern Military District (Milo S) from 1994 to 2000 and the Southern Military District (MD S) from 2000 to 2005. Blazon: "Azure, with waves argent six times divided bendy-sinister argent, charged with a doubletailed crowned lion rampant or, armed and langued gules. The shield surmounted an erect sword or."^[2]

Commanding officers

From 2013 to 2017, the military region commander was also commander of the Norrbotten Regiment. From 2018 to 2020, military region commander was subordinate to the Chief of Joint Operations in territorial activities as well as in operations. Furthermore, the military region commander has territorial responsibility over his own military region and leads territorial activities as well as regional intelligence and security services.^[3]^[4] From 1 January 2020, all military region commanders are subordinate to the Chief of Home Guard.^[5]

2013–2017: Colonel Fredrik Ståhlberg
2017–2017: Colonel Bengt Alexandersson^[b]
2018–20xx: Colonel Peter Hederstedt^[c]

Names, designations and locations

Name	Translation	From		To
Militärregion Väst	Military Region West	2013-01-01	–	2018-12-31
Västra militärregionen	Western Military Region	2019-01-01	–
Designation		From		To
MR V		2013-01-01	–
Location		From		To
Skövde Garrison		2013-01-01	–

Footnotes

^ In the years 2013–2019, the military region staff was subordinate to the commander of Skaraborg Regiment, and since 2020 its directly subordinate to the Chief of Home Guard.
^ Bengt Alexandersson took office on 1 April 2017.^[6]
^ Peter Hederstedt took office on 1 January 2018, with an appointment no later than 31 March 2021.^[7] In 2020, his appointment was extended, however, until 31 December 2023.^[8]

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c Försvarets traditioner i framtiden med översiktlig historik från 1500-talet (PDF) (in Swedish). Statens försvarshistoriska museer TradN. 2020-09-07 [2015]. p. 29. ISBN 9789197859554. SELIBR 17552963.
^ Braunstein 2006, p. 16
^ "Försvarsmaktens interna bestämmelser med arbetsordning för Försvarsmakten" (PDF). FÖRSVARSMAKTENS INTERNA BESTÄMMELSER (FIB 2018:2) (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 20 June 2018. p. 4, 47. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
^ "Försvarsmaktens interna bestämmelser med arbetsordning för Försvarsmakten" (PDF). FÖRSVARSMAKTENS INTERNA BESTÄMMELSER (FIB 2020:5) (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 16 December 2020. p. 5, 65. Retrieved 7 June 2021.
^ Sandborg, Stefan (2019). "Ett Hemvärn i tillväxt" (PDF). Hemvärnsnytt - Tidskrift för Hemvärnets personal i Livgardesgruppen (in Swedish) (4). Stockholm: Livgardesgruppens hemvärnsråd: 7. SELIBR 18367957.
^ Dahlberg, Jessica (2017). "CHEFSBYTE VID P4 OCH MRV" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (2). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 7. SELIBR 4109339.
^ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (6). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 9. 2017. SELIBR 4109339.
^ "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (1). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 9. 2020. SELIBR 4109339.

Print

Braunstein, Christian (2006). Heraldiska vapen inom det svenska försvaret [Heraldry of the Swedish Armed Forces] (PDF). Skrift / Statens försvarshistoriska museer, 1101-7023 ; 9 (in Swedish). Stockholm: Statens försvarshistoriska museer. ISBN 91-971584-9-6. SELIBR 10099224.

External links

Official website (in Swedish)

[1] In the years 2013–2019, the military region staff was subordinate to the commander of Skaraborg Regiment, and since 2020 its directly subordinate to the Chief of Home Guard.

[8] Bengt Alexandersson took office on 1 April 2017.^[6]

[11] Peter Hederstedt took office on 1 January 2018, with an appointment no later than 31 March 2021.^[7] In 2020, his appointment was extended, however, until 31 December 2023.^[8]

[Traditioner_(2020-09-07),_p._29-2] Försvarets traditioner i framtiden med översiktlig historik från 1500-talet (PDF) (in Swedish). Statens försvarshistoriska museer TradN. 2020-09-07 [2015]. p. 29. ISBN 9789197859554. SELIBR 17552963.

[3] Braunstein 2006, p. 16

[4] "Försvarsmaktens interna bestämmelser med arbetsordning för Försvarsmakten" (PDF). FÖRSVARSMAKTENS INTERNA BESTÄMMELSER (FIB 2018:2) (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 20 June 2018. p. 4, 47. Retrieved 7 June 2021.

[5] "Försvarsmaktens interna bestämmelser med arbetsordning för Försvarsmakten" (PDF). FÖRSVARSMAKTENS INTERNA BESTÄMMELSER (FIB 2020:5) (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces. 16 December 2020. p. 5, 65. Retrieved 7 June 2021.

[6] Sandborg, Stefan (2019). "Ett Hemvärn i tillväxt" (PDF). Hemvärnsnytt - Tidskrift för Hemvärnets personal i Livgardesgruppen (in Swedish) (4). Stockholm: Livgardesgruppens hemvärnsråd: 7. SELIBR 18367957.

[7] Dahlberg, Jessica (2017). "CHEFSBYTE VID P4 OCH MRV" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (2). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 7. SELIBR 4109339.

[9] "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (6). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 9. 2017. SELIBR 4109339.

[10] "PÅ NY POST" (PDF). Försvarets forum: Personaltidning för fast anställda och reservofficerare i svenska försvarsmakten (in Swedish) (1). Stockholm: Försvarets forum: 9. 2020. SELIBR 4109339.

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Regional division of the Swedish Armed Forces
1942–1966	I Military District (I. Milo) II Military District (II. Milo) III Military District (III. Milo) IV Military District (IV. Milo) V Military District (V. Milo) VI Military District (VI. Milo) VII Military District (VII. Milo)
1966–1993	Bergslagen Military District (Milo B) Lower Norrland Military District (Milo NN) Southern Military District (Milo S) Western Military District (Milo V) Eastern Military District (Milo Ö) Upper Norrland Military District (Milo ÖN)
1993–2000	Middle Military District (Milo M) Northern Military District (Milo N) Southern Military District (Milo S)
2000–2005	Northern Military District (MD N) Central Military District (MD M) Southern Military District (MD S) Gotland Military District (MD G)
2013–2018	Military Region Central (MR M) Military Region North (MR N) Military Region South (MR S) Military Region West (MR V)
2019–present	Central Military Region (MR M) Northern Military Region (MR N) Southern Military Region (MR S) Western Military Region (MR V) Gotland Military Region (MR G)