Laura Swaan Wrede

Swaan Wrede was born on 16 August 1964. She moved to Målilla, Kalmar County, Sweden at the age of 6 and attended school in Vimmerby.^[2] Her father was self-employed, and her mother worked in finance.^[3] Her sister is an officer, and several of her female relatives have a military background. Her grandmother’s sister served at the front during both the Winter War and the Continuation War in Finland. Her grandmother and mother were born in Karelia.^[4]

At the age of twelve, Swaan Wrede decided that she wanted to become an officer, though she has stated that she is unsure where the idea originated. When it came time for her school work experience (prao), she was informed by her guidance counselor that "the military does not accept girls." Unwilling to accept this, Wrede contacted the Småland Regiment (I 12) in Eksjö on her own initiative. Lieutenant Colonel Inge Werner, who was considered forward-thinking for his time, took her request seriously and invited her to spend a few nights at the regiment. She was accommodated in the infirmary, and it was during this visit in 1980—when women were not yet permitted to perform compulsory military service—that her interest in a military career was likely established.^[4] The experience strengthened her determination, and she subsequently joined the Swedish Women's Voluntary Defence Organization and the Swedish Voluntary Motorcycle Corps (Frivilliga Motorcykelkåren, FMCK). When the Swedish Armed Forces later opened recruitment to women, Swaan Wrede applied to the army and was accepted as one of the first female recruits. She began her service at the age of eighteen and has remained in the military since then.^[4]

Wrede completed her military training at the Luleå Anti-Aircraft Regiment (Lv 7) in Luleå,^[5] where she specialized in air defense operations and trained to operate a range of weapons systems, including the Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun, the RBS 70, and the MIM-23 Hawk.^[6]

Swaan Wrede was commissioned as an officer in the Swedish Army in 1987.^[7] She was the first woman in the Swedish Armed Forces to receive a scholarship from the Federation of Swedish Finnish Volunteers (Förbundet svenska finlandsfrivilliga) after completing officer training at the Military Academy Karlberg. In the early 1990s, she served in the Scanian Anti-Aircraft Corps (Lv 4) in Ystad.^[8]

Swaan Wrede has been in charge of several units throughout her career, mainly at the Life Guards. She has also served several international operations outside Swedish territory, including as a UN observer in the Middle East (UNTSO). She has also served in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and Bosnia (UNPROFOR),^[9] and has been involved in international operations in Mali, Somalia, Afghanistan and more.^[6] From 2008 Swaan Wrede served as ADC to Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden.^[10]

On 14 December 2014, Swaan Wrede was promoted to colonel and appointed head of department in the Land Component Command (INSS ATS) at the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters in Stockholm.^[11] On 1 November 2017, she assumed the position of regimental commander of the Life Guards,^[12] and thus became the first woman regimental commander in Sweden.^[1]

She was appointed Deputy Chief of Army on 1 April 2020 and promoted to brigadier general.^[13] The Swedish Armed Forces terminated Swaan Wrede's appointment as ADC to Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden from 1 January 2021.^[14]

On 1 October 2022, Swaan Wrede assumed the position of Chief of Home Guard and was simultaneously promoted to major general.^[15] She held this position until 8 January 2026 when she was succeeded by Major General Mattias Ardin.^[16]