Claes-Göran Hedén

Brigadier General Claes-Göran Hedén (born 12 October 1944) is a retired Swedish Coastal Artillery/Swedish Amphibious Corps officer. His senior commands include commanding officer of the Coastal Ranger School, Vaxholm Coastal Artillery Regiment, the Northern Coast Marine Command and the Swedish Armed Forces International Command. After retiring from the military, Hedén served as governor of Gripsholm Castle and Strömsholm Castle.

Early life Hedén was born on 12 October 1944 in Engelbrekt Parish, Stockholm, Sweden, and passed studentexamen in Stockholm in 1964.

Hedén served as a defense attaché at the Paris and Madrid embassies from 1988 to 1991, and he was promoted to colonel in 1990. From 1991 to 1992, he served as Chief Intelligence and Security Officer of the Middle Military District, followed by the Higher Command Course in 1992. Hedén then served as commanding officer of the Vaxholm Coast Artillery Regiment from 1992 to 1994. In 1994 he was promoted to senior colonel, then from 1994 to 1996 he was commander of the Northern Coast Marine Command (Norrlandskustens marinkommando, MKN) and the Härnösand Coastal Artillery Regiment (KA 5) and served at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in 1996. From 1996 to 1997 he was Inspector of the Coastal Artillery and commanding officer of the Coastal Artillery Center (Kustartillericentrum, KAC), after which he attended the Chief Course at the Swedish National Defence College in 1997. From 1997 to 2002, he was head of the Swedish Armed Forces International Command (Försvarets internationella kommando) (which in 2000 was renamed the Swedish Armed Forces Center for International Operations, Försvarsmaktens centrum för internationell verksamhet) and in 2000 he was promoted to brigadier general. Hedén is a member (seat no 4) of the Sörmland Academy (SörmlandsAkademien), a non-profit organization, with the task to pay significant attention to efforts made by Sörmlanders, Sörmland companies and Sörmland authorities.

Personal life Claes-Göran Hedén is married to Elizabeth Hedén. After living in a wing at Gripsholm Castle during his time as governor, the Hedén's moved to Lida gård in Flen Municipality in 2015.

Dates of rank 1967 – Second lieutenant 1969 – Lieutenant 1972 – Captain 1975 – Major 1982 – Lieutenant colonel 1990 – Colonel 1994 – Senior colonel 2000 – Brigadier general

Awards and decorations 50px H. M. The King's Medal, 8th size gold (silver-gilt) medal worn on the chest suspended by the Order of the Seraphim ribbon (1990)

Honours Member of the Royal Swedish Society of Naval Sciences (1986; resigned in 1999)