(City of Gothenburg) Gothenburg Southern Battalion (Göteborgs södra bataljon – 41. hvbat), in Gothenburg Gothenburg Northern Battalion (Göteborgs norra bataljon – 42. hvbat), in Gothenburg Gothenburg Archipelago Battalion (Göteborgs skärgårds bataljon – 43. hvbat), in Gothenburg Älvsborg Battalion (Älvsborgsbataljonen – 44. hvbat), in Borås Halland Group (Hallandsgruppen – HAG), in Halmstad (Halland County) Halland Battalion (Hallandsbataljonen – 45. hvbat), in Halmstad Gotland Military Region The Home Guard battalion on the island of Gotland falls under the Gotland Regiment, which also commands the active 181st Armored Battalion. Militärregion Gotland, in Visby Gotland Regiment (P 18), in Visby Gotland Group (Gotlandsgruppen – GLG), in Visby Gotland Battalion (Gotlandsbataljonen – 32. hvbat), in Visby Size The army on active service during most of the 20th century only consisted of conscript receiving their basic training (at the most one year for privates), and conscripts called up for refreshers (at the most one month for privates) with intervals of at least 4–6 years. During WWII smaller or larger parts of the wartime establishment were also called up for periodical stand-by duty (up to 6 months). The figures for total strength below refer to the total force which could be mobilised. Between the introduction of universal conscription in 1902 until the start of World War II, the army was usually maintained at a consistent strength of 100,000 men, with two-thirds of the force being conscripts for two years. From 1942 onwards, the Swedish government embarked upon a massive and ambitious militarisation program in which conscription was strictly enforced and compulsory service was extended. The basic training for privates was set at 12 months, for future conscript sergeants intended to become platoon leaders (mainly sixth form graduates) 18 months, and for future conscript officers 24 months. These periods were gradually reduced, and the ranks were raised, until it was the same period for all conscripts shortly before conscription was suspended in 2009. This combined with propaganda about conscription being a part of social duty and defending the Swedish principle of folkhemmet, led to an army a size of about 700,000 active duty soldiers that could be mobilised in late 1945. Since the late winter of 1945 the size of the army was slowly decreased as entire reserve battalions and brigades were gradually demobilised, and by late 1947 the size of the army was around 170,000 soldiers who could be mobilised and was planned to stabilise at such