Gunnar Karlson

Major General Gunnar Åke Karlson (born 7 April 1958) is a retired Swedish Army officer. Karlson's senior appointments include regimental commander of Gotland Regiment, Chief of Training and Procurement and Director of Military Intelligence and Security. He retired from active service in April 2019.

Career Karlson was born on 7 April 1958 in Karlskrona, Sweden, the son of education counselor Åke Karlson and his wife Gun (née Simonsson). During the Cold War in the 1970s, he got involved politically on the left wing. Karlson was active in the student body in the school and a sympathizer of the former Left Party-Communists (VPK), but was not a member. His background would later arouse some interest among his colleagues as a young army officer at the regiment in Växjö. He was commissioned as a lieutenant at Kronoberg Regiment (I 11) in 1980 and was deputy infantry platoon leader from 1980 to 1982. Karlsson attended the Service Branch School (Truppslagsskola) for regimental officers from 1982 to 1983 when he was promoted to captain. Karlson attended the Swedish Armed Forces Language School (Försvarets tolkskola) from 1983 to 1984. Karlson retired in April 2019.

Personal life In 2003 he married the art director Anette Lövgren (born 1963 in Växjö), the daughter of the tinsmith Allan Lövgren and Rut Lövgren.

Dates of rank

1980 - Lieutenant 1983 - Captain 1988 - Major 1994 - Lieutenant Colonel 2000 - Colonel 2007 - Brigadier General 2009 - Major General

Awards and decorations Karlson's awards:

Swedish

Foreign