Michael Claesson | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Claesson in 2025 | |
| Birth name | Leif Michael Claesson |
| Born | (1965-03-01)1 March 1965 (age 60) Bankeryd, Sweden |
| Allegiance | Sweden |
| Branch | Swedish Army |
| Service years | 1987–present |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | |
| Conflicts | Kosovo War War in Afghanistan |
Michael Claesson (born 1 March 1965) is aSwedish Army officer. He currently serves as theChief of Defence since 1 October 2024.[1] Claesson began his military career in 1984 as a tank commander. He advanced through various positions, including instructor and company commander, while completing education at military institutions in Sweden and Germany. By 2001, he became a lieutenant colonel, serving in both national and international roles, including as a military adviser and representative to NATO and the EU. Promoted to brigadier general in 2013, Claesson held key leadership roles, such as commanding the SwedishISAF contingent in Afghanistan and overseeingNordic Battlegroup training. In 2018, he became a major general andChief of Policy and Plans Department, later serving asChief of Joint Operations andCommandant General in Stockholm in 2020. Promoted to lieutenant general, he becameChief of the Defence Staff in 2023. Finally, in 2024, he was appointed general and Chief of Defence, assuming the role on 1 October 2024.
Claesson was born on 1 March 1965 inJönköping and grew up inBankeryd, where he lived until he commenced his military service in 1984.[2][3] He did hismilitary service as a tank commander operatingStridsvagn 103 tank in the 3rd Tank Company in theNorrbotten Armoured Battalion (I 19/P 5) inBoden from 4 June 1984 to 31 August 1985.[2][4] From 1 August 1986, Claesson served as an instructor, platoon leader and battalion staff member of a tank company and an armored battalion respectively in theScanian Dragoon Regiment (P 2) inHässleholm. He also did two years as a teacher at the company management course (KHS HK) at the Swedish Armoured Troops Combat School (Pansartruppernas stridsskola, PS) inSkövde. He was commissioned as an officer in 1987 and was promoted to second lieutenant.[2]
Claesson attended theMilitary Academy Karlberg's general course inStockholm from 1988 to 1989 when he was promoted to lieutenant. He also attended the higher course from 1990 to 1991 when he was promoted to captain, and the Tactical Course for the Army (Taktisk kurs för Armén, TAK A) at theSwedish National Defence College in Stockholm from 1994 to 1995. Promoted to major in 1995, Claesson served between 1 July 1995 to 31 January 1997 as company commander and deputy company commander of the 83rd Staff Company and the 86th Tank Company in the Scanian Dragoon Regiment in Hässleholm. He was then a student at the German Armed Forces Language Agency (Bundessprachenamt, BSprA) inHürth,Germany from 1 February 1997 to 31 August 1997. He was then the first Swedish student in Germany's national general staff training at theBundeswehr Command and Staff College inHamburg, Germany from 1 September 1997 to 30 September 1999.[2]
Claesson served as a teacher of tactics and operational art at theSwedish National Defence College's Operational Institution (Operativa institution, FHS OpI) from 1 October 1999 to 30 August 2000 and he was Deputy Section Chief at KFOR HQ Operations Department (J 3 PLANS&CONOPS) inPristina,Kosovo from 1 September 2000 to 30 April 2001. Promoted to lieutenant colonel in 2001, he served as a staff officer (administrator) in the Policy and Plans Department of the Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate (Strategiledningens inriktningsavdelning, STRA INRI) at theSwedish Armed Forces Headquarters in Stockholm from 1 September 2001 to 31 October 2002. Claesson then served as a military expert at theMinistry of Defence's Unit for Security Policy and International Affairs (Enheten för säkerhetspolitik och internationella frågor, Fö SI) from 1 November 2002 to 30 April 2003 and as commander and head of and training ofNorrbotten Armoured Battalion inNorrbotten Regiment (I 19) inBoden from 1 May 2003 to 28 February 2005. He was then back at the Ministry of Defence's Unit for Security Policy and International Affairs, serving from 1 March 2005 to 31 July 2005. Claesson served as a military adviser and assistant military representative to Sweden's delegation to NATO at theNATO headquarters inBrussels and was accredited to Sweden's Permanent Representation to the EU from 1 August 2005 to 31 August 2007, then from 1 September 2007 to 31 August 2009. He was promoted to colonel in 2008.[2]
Claesson served as exercise director (EXDIR) with responsibility for the Army's final exercises in 2010 and the training series forNordic Battlegroup 11 (NBG 11) and as commanding officer of theLand Warfare Centre inSkövde from 1 September 2009 to 30 November 2010 and then from 1 December 2010 to 30 April 2012. He was commanding officer of the 24th Swedish contingent (FS 24) of theInternational Security Assistance Force (ISAF) as well as tactical commander of the multinational Task Force Northern Lights,Regional Command North of ISAF inAfghanistan from 1 May 2012 to 23 June 2013. Promoted to brigadier general in 2013, he served as a military adviser to theMinistry for Foreign Affairs in Stockholm from 24 June 2013 to 28 February 2015. Claesson was thenDeputy Chief of Policy and Plans Department in theDefence Staff at the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters from 1 March 2015 to 30 September 2018. He was promoted to major general and appointedChief of Policy and Plans Department in the Defence Staff on 1 October 2018.[2] On 25 June 2020, Claesson was appointedChief of Joint Operations, succeeding Vice AdmiralJan Thörnqvist. Claesson assumed the position on 10 September 2020. He was promoted to lieutenant general on the same date.[3] Also on 10 September 2020, Claesson assumed the position ofCommandant General in Stockholm.[5]
On 30 June 2022, the Swedish government appointed Claesson asChief of the Defence Staff in theSwedish Armed Forces Headquarters from 1 January 2023. The thenChief of Air Force, Major GeneralCarl-Johan Edström succeeded Claesson as Chief of Joint Operations as commander of the new Unit for Joint Operations. Edström was also promoted to lieutenant general.[6] On 7 June 2024, Claesson was appointed general andChief of Defence, and took office on 1 October 2024 after a formal handover ceremony atKarlberg Palace.[1]
In 1988, he married Åsa, a nurse, with whom he has three children.[2]
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King Carl XVI Gustaf's Jubilee Commemorative Medal IV (2023)[7]
For Zealous and Devoted Service of the Realm[2].png)
Swedish Armed Forces Conscript Medal[7]
Swedish Armed Forces International Service Medal (ISAF, Afghanistan & KFOR, Kosovo May 2013)[7]
National Swedish Association of Military Friendship Merit Badge (Sveriges Militära Kamratföreningarnas Riksförbunds förtjänsttecken, SMKRGFt) in gold (November 2022)[8].svg)
Scanian Dragoon Regiment Commemorative Medal 1.svg)
Scanian Dragoon Regiment Commemorative Medal 2
Commander 1st Class of theOrder of the White Rose of Finland (May 2022)[7]
Commander 1st Class of theOrder of the Dannebrog (26 April 2024)[9]
Norwegian Armed Forces Medal for International Operations[a] (May 2013)
Badge of Honour of the Bundeswehr in Silver[b] (April 2007)[8]
Officer of theOrdre national du Mérite (May 2022)[10]
Cross for the Four Day Marches
NATO Medal, KFOR, Kosovo (April 2001)[2]
NATO Medal, ISAF, Afghanistan (March 2013)[2]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Land Warfare Centre 2011–2012 | Succeeded by Sven Antonsson as Acting |
| Preceded by Torbjörn Larsson as Commander, FS23 | Commander, FS24 2012–2013 | Succeeded byas Commander, FS25 |
| Preceded by | Deputy Chief of Policy and Plans Department 2015–2018 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief of Policy and Plans Department 2018–2020 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief of Joint Operations 2020–2022 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commandant General in Stockholm 2020–present | Incumbent |
| Preceded by None | Chief of the Defence Staff 2023–2024 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief of Defence 2024–present | Incumbent |