Home Guard (Swedish Armed Forces)

Home Guard – National Security Forces Hemvärnet – Nationella skyddsstyrkorna
Coat of arms of the Home Guard – National Security Forces.
Founded	May 29, 1940; 76 years ago (1940-05-29)
Country	Sweden
Allegiance	Swedish Armed Forces
Branch	Swedish Army
Type	Motorised light infantry
Role	Rapid countermeasure Surveillance Disaster relief Search and rescue
Size	22,000 end strength in 40 battalions
Garrison/HQ
March	"Hemvärnets marsch" (Home Guard March)
Anniversaries	May 29th
Commanders
Current commander	Brigade General Roland Ekenberg
Notable commanders	Major General Gustaf Petri

The Home Guard – National Security Forces (Swedish: Hemvärnet – Nationella skyddsstyrkorna) is a military reserve force of the Swedish Armed Forces. It was formally established on May 29, 1940, during World War II upon popular demand. While originally composed of former militia groups, today it comprises half of the Swedish Army, thus constituting the basis of the territorial defence of Sweden.

The Swedish National Home Guard consists mainly of local rapid response units, numbering 17,000 of the 22,000 total Home Guard strength, organised in 40 battalions, with 23 associated auxiliary defence organisations. The majority of the soldiers maintain a civilian job while serving the army part-time. Contemporary rapid responsee units were formed in the early 2000s as a consequence of the Swedish government's abolishment of the conscription to the Swedish Armed Forces.

The Commander, Rikshemvärnschefen, is the head of the Home Guard, representing 40 000 present and veteran soldiers, reporting directly to the Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces.

The establishment of the Home Guard was passed into law by the Riksdag on May 29, 1940, after the beginning of World War II, however, units had already been formed by the military before this. Home Guard units were groups of usually eight to 15 men that were to serve as defense units in case of war, located in towns and in both private and state-owned factories, throughout all of Sweden. Members of these small units usually consisted of former professional military men who were equipped with rifles, machine guns, ammunition, medicine, uniforms, and had the option of buying additional materials such as skis, sweaters and marching boots. An additional group, called the Lotta corps (Women's Voluntary Defense Service), helped with additional tasks that the Home Unit was unable to perform themselves. The Lotta corps helped provide the home unit with additional items such as socks, scarves and gloves as well as performing all administrative work that the unit could not afford to do themselves. In case of war, and in case the Home Guard was unable to utilize local hospitals, the Swedish Red Cross was prepared to set up first aid stations for its use.