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National Home Guard Chief Laura Swaan Wrede Hands Over to Mattias Ardin

Brigadier General Mattias Ardin will assume the role of the new National Home Guard Chief on 9 January 2026 and will simultaneously be promoted to Major General, after serving as the deputy to his predecessor. He succeeds Major General Laura Swaan Wrede, who is leaving the position for a new assignment within the Armed Forces.

National Home Guard Chief Laura Swaan Wrede Hands Over to Mattias Ardin

Mattias Ardin will assume the position of new Chief of the Swedish Home Guard (Rikshemvärnschef) on 9 January 2026. He succeeds Major General Laura Swaan Wrede, who has held the position since mid-2022 and is leaving the post for a new assignment within the Swedish Armed Forces (Försvarsmakten). Upon taking office, Ardin will be promoted to Major General. The appointment is made following a decision by the Supreme Commander and means that Ardin succeeds Major General Laura Swaan Wrede.

According to the Swedish Armed Forces, Ardin has had a long career within the organisation, with previous positions as head of the Central Military Region, head of the Gotland Regiment, head of the National Home Guard Department, and responsible for the re-establishment of military presence on Gotland (strategic island in the Baltic Sea). He has also conducted international operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan and has been the Deputy Chief of the Swedish Home Guard since 2023.

– It is with great pride that I take command of the Home Guard, said Ardin in a statement. He particularly highlighted the importance of regional leadership, volunteerism, and continued growth within the Home Guard as central issues moving forward, Ardin stated in a news release on the Swedish Armed Forces' website.

The outgoing Chief of the Swedish Home Guard, Laura Swaan Wrede, has led the operations since the summer of 2022. In a post, she describes the role of Chief of the Swedish Home Guard as "fun, challenging, honourable, and fantastic" and thanks the Home Guard soldiers, volunteer organisations, and international colleagues for their cooperation.

– Congratulations and good luck to Mattias, who is taking on a tough but also fantastically fun job. Congratulations also on the promotion. […] Keep going without losing pace, as the Supreme Commander says: MARCH ON!, writes Swaan Wrede. If you want to read Swaan Wrede's year-end review in the Nordic Defence Sector on 10 December, you can do so here.