Operation Gloria

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Operation Gloria
Part of COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden
Operational scope Operational, Supporting, Military operations other than war
Location
Commanded by Commander Fredrik Utterström [1] [2]
TargetSupporting Swedish civil agencies in handling the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden.
Date11 March 2020 31 January 2023 [3]
Executed by Swedish Armed Forces:

Operation Gloria was a Swedish military operation conducted in support of handling the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden.

Contents

Background

Sweden's first case of COVID-19 was discovered in January 2020. The 11th of March, the Swedish Public Health Agency (Folkhälsomyndigheten) asked the Swedish Armed Forces for support in handling the outbreak. [2]

The Swedish Armed Forces was first tasked with supporting the civilian society in case of peace time emergencies in 1995 by the then current Swedish government. The task was abolished in 2004, but was later added again in 2009. [6]

Swedish military support in handling the Covid-19 outbreak

Field hospitals

The Swedish Armed Forces set up two field hospitals; one in the capital city of Stockholm, and one in Gothenburg, on the west coast. Originally, the armed forces was preparing to set up a field hospital at Ärna Air Base in Uppsala, north of Stockholm. The resources were instead rerouted to Älvsjö mess hall, in southern Stockholm. The hospital was prepared to admit 550 ICU patients, but was demobilised in June 2020, without taking in one single patient. This was due to the hospital in the Stockholm area had contingency preparedness and was able to handle the situation by themselves. [7]

Staff support

The armed forces also sent staff officers and civilian personnel to support Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen), Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket), and several county administrative boards (Länsstyrelser).

The Swedish Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland, asked, and served in the Swedish Armed Forces high command to support the operational staff leading the support operation. He served with the rank of major at the time. [8]

Transport resources

The armed forces provided transport capacity to several civilian agencies in the form of ambulances and airlift capabilities in the form of helicopters - NHIndustries NH90 - and aircraft - C-130 Hercules. [2]

Equipment

The armed forces provided the civilian agencies with 50.000 gas masks and 40.000 chemical weapons protection gear. It also supported with medical technologies equipment, EKG equipment, and X-rays. [9]

Contact tracing

The largest part of Operation Gloria was military personnel helping out with gathering and deliveries of contact tracing tests. Military personnel, mainly from the Home Guard (Hemvärnet) - but also conscripts and professional soldiers - delivered and gathered individual self tests from sick individuals and delivered these to test labs for control, contact tracing, and anti-bodies. [9] [4]

Vaccinations

The Swedish Armed Forces were asked to relieve the civilian medical organisations by vaccinating their own personnel, mainly in the regions of Blekinge, Halland, and Västra Götaland County. [10]

After some debate, Swedish military personnel taking part in international military missions - such as MINUSMA - were allowed to be vaccinated ahead of time. [11]

Laboratory

The National CBRN Defence Centre (Totalförsvarets skyddscentrum, SkyddsC) in Umeå conducted an exercise together with Uppsala University Hospital (Akademiska sjukhuset) and the Public Health Agency to maintain readiness and Freedom of Action to sampling and analyzing possible contagion. The exercise showed a positive outcome. This resource was however never activated. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swedish Armed Forces</span> National military force of Sweden

The Swedish Armed Forces are the armed forces of the Kingdom of Sweden, tasked with the defence of the country as well as with promoting Sweden's wider interests, supporting international peacekeeping, and providing humanitarian aid. It consists of four service branches: the Swedish Army, the Swedish Air Force and the Swedish Navy, as well as a military reserve force, the Home Guard. Since 1994, all Swedish military branches are organised within a single unified government agency, the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters, which is headed by the Supreme Commander, even though the individual services maintain their distinct identities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief of Army (Sweden)</span> Most senior appointment in the Swedish Army

The Chief of Army is the most senior appointment in the Swedish Army. The position Chief of Army was introduced in 1937 and the current form in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief of Air Force (Sweden)</span> Most senior appointment in the Swedish Air Force

Chief of Air Force is the most senior appointment in the Swedish Air Force. The position Chief of Air Force was introduced in 1926 and the current form in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army Staff (Sweden)</span> Staff element of the Chief of the Swedish Army

Army Staff is the staff of the Chief of the Swedish Army. It was originally established in 1937. The Army Staff's duties then included, among other things to assist the Chief of the Army with leadership of the Army's mobilization, training, tactics, organization, equipment and personnel to the extent that such activity was not directly related to operational activities, which was handled by the Defence Staff. In 1994 the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters took over the Army Staff's duties. In 2019, the Army Staff was re-established, now located in Enköping Garrison.

Swedish Armed Forces Medal for Wounded in Battle is a Swedish is a reward medal instituted by the Swedish Armed Forces and is awarded to Swedish Armed Forces personnel wounded directly or indirectly as a result of battle during international mission.

The Swedish Armed Forces International Service Medal is a Swedish reward medal instituted by the Swedish Armed Forces in 1991. The medal regulations has been revised twice, in 1994 and 2012. The medal is awarded after at least 30 days of international service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surgeon-General of the Swedish Armed Forces</span> Highest-ranking medical officer of the Swedish Armed Forces

The Surgeon-General of the Swedish Armed Forces is the highest-ranking medical officer of the Swedish Armed Forces. The Surgeon-General is responsible for the supervision of the Swedish Armed Forces, the Defence Materiel Administration, the Swedish Fortifications Agency and the National Defence Radio Establishment. This includes supervision in the areas of environment, health, nature, sewage, waste and chemicals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joint Forces Command (Sweden)</span> Military unit

Joint Forces Command, was a senior command staff within the Swedish Armed Forces which operated from 2000 to 2005. The staff was located in Uppsala Garrison in Uppsala. The Joint Forces Command managed allocated joint capabilities from the three armed services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters</span> Highest level of command within the Swedish Armed Forces

The Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters is the highest level of command in the Swedish Armed Forces. Established in 1994, its primary task is to command operations, but is also involved in areas such as military strategy, the overall development of the Swedish Armed Forces, and acting as a channel of contact with government. It's located at Lidingövägen 24 at Gärdet in Stockholm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden</span>

The COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden is a part of the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. As of 22 March 2023, there have been 2,701,192 confirmed cumulative cases and 23,851 deaths with confirmed COVID-19 in Sweden. Sweden ranks 57th in per capita deaths worldwide, and out of 47 European countries, Sweden places 30th. A 2022 estimate of excess mortality during the pandemic using IHME COVID model estimated 18,300 excess deaths during 2020–2021 The Economist model value estimated 13,670 excess deaths between 16th 2020-Mar 6th 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operation Rescript</span> British military operation to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic

Operation Rescript was the code name for the British military operation to help tackle the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom and its Crown Dependencies between 2020 and 2022. It was described as the UK's "biggest ever homeland military operation in peacetime" by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), involving up to 23,000 personnel within a specialist task force, named the COVID Support Force (CSF). The support was given at the request of the UK government, its devolved administrations and civil authorities through the Military aid to the civil authorities (MACA) mechanism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swedish Armed Forces Centre for Defence Medicine</span> Military unit

The Swedish Armed Forces Centre for Defence Medicine is a tri-service military medicine center in the Swedish Armed Forces. Its staff is made up of officers, civilian specialists, group commanders and officer reservists – tasked with ensuring care is provided during peacetime, on international missions, at times of crisis and in combat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swedish government response to the COVID-19 pandemic</span>

Sweden's unique response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been the subject of significant controversy in both domestic and international circles. Unlike most countries, which strongly recommended or introduced widespread sector closures, quarantining, and lockdown measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019, the government of Sweden took a more lenient approach to the pandemic, prioritizing the economy and only pursuing social distancing measures such as bans on large gatherings and limited travel restrictions.

The Chief of Defence Staff was the chief of the Defence Staff at the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters. The Chief of Defence Staff was appointed as a three-star general or admiral. The Chief of Defence Staff was part of the Defence Board, a group of the Supreme Commander's top commanders. The position was abolished in 2022 and was succeeded by the new old position of Chief of the Defence Staff which previously existed between 1937 and 1994.

The Central Military Region is a Swedish military region within the Swedish Armed Forces. Established in 2013, the military region staff in based in Kungsängen. The military region includes Dalarna County, Gotland County, Gävleborg County, Stockholm County, Södermanland County, Uppsala County and Västmanland County.

The Northern Military Region is a Swedish military region within the Swedish Armed Forces. Established in 2013, the military region staff in based in Boden Garrison. The military region includes Norrbotten County, Västerbotten County, Jämtland County and Västernorrland County.

The Western Military Region is a Swedish military region within the Swedish Armed Forces. Established in 2013, the military region staff in based in Skövde. The military region includes Halland County, Värmland County, Västra Götaland County and Örebro County.

The Southern Military Region is a Swedish military region within the Swedish Armed Forces. Established in 2013, the military region staff in based in Revingeby. The military region includes Skåne County, Blekinge County, Kronoberg County, Jönköping County, Kalmar County and Östergötland County.

The Swedish Armed Forces Logistics is a part of the Swedish Armed Forces, which is responsible for military logistics, maintenance and support for units, staffs and schools. The unit's activities can be divided into supply, transport, support for international operations and functional management.

The Director of Human Resources is the director of human resources of the Swedish Armed Forces. PERSDIR, which heads the Human Resources Department, is an administrative position based at the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters in Stockholm. The PERSDIR is part of the Defence Board, a group of the Supreme Commander's top commanders.

References

  1. Toll, Johanna. "Försvarsmakten beredd att stödja vården i händelse av tredje våg" (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces . Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Ett år med coronapandemin" (in Swedish). Swedish Armed Forces . Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  3. "Folkhälsomyndigheten tackar Försvarsmakten för stödet under pandemin". Public Health Agency of Sweden (in Swedish). 31 January 2023.
  4. 1 2 Ängshammar, Tomas. "Värnpliktiga hjälper Folkhälsomyndigheten kartlägga covid-19". Försvarsmakten (in Swedish).
  5. Jansson, Lasse. "Coronasmittade kan nu flygas med militärhelikopter". Försvarsmakten (in Swedish).
  6. "MED BEFINTLIG FÖRMÅGA" (PDF) (in Swedish).
  7. "Fältsjukhuset" i Älvsjö – Rekordbygget som ingen ville ha? (PDF) (in Swedish). ISBN   978-91-88975-05-8.
  8. "Prins Carl Philip tjänstgör vid Försvarsmaktens högkvarter - Sveriges Kungahus". www.kungahuset.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  9. 1 2 "Ett år med coronapandemin". Försvarsmakten (in Swedish).
  10. "Försvarsmakten vaccinerar egen personal i tre regioner". Försvarsmakten (in Swedish).
  11. "50 vaccindoser till personal i utlandstjänst". Försvarsmakten (in Swedish).
  12. Åkerlund, Mattias. "Försvarsmakten avslutar Corona-övning". Försvarsmakten (in Swedish).