Kjell Nilsson (Swedish Air Force officer)

Nilsson began his military career as an air force officer candidate in 1964 at the Swedish Air Force Flying School in Ljungbyhed.{{cite journal |url=https://www.aef.se/Flygvapnet/Tidskrifter/FV_Nytt/Flygvapennytt_1994-4.pdf |journal=Flygvapennytt |title=Nye ansvarige utgivaren presenterar sig |first=Kjell |last=Nilsson |year=1994 |number=4 |publisher=Flygstaben |location=Stockholm |language=sv |issn=0015-4792 |id={{LIBRIS|8257600}} |page=2}} Nilsson was commissioned as an officer in the Swedish Air Force in 1967 as second lieutenant. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1969 and to captain in 1972.{{cite book |last=Kjellander |first=Rune |title=Svenska flygvapnets högre chefer 1925-2005: chefsbiografier och befattningsöversikter |year=2013 |publisher=Rune Kjellander |location=Värmdö |language=sv |isbn=9789163711831 |id={{SELIBR|15870537}} |page=82}} Nilsson served as squadron commander at Bråvalla Wing in Norrköping from 1973 to 1976.{{cite journal |url=https://www.aef.se/Flygvapnet/Tidskrifter/FV_Nytt/Flygvapennytt_1995-4.pdf |journal=Flygvapennytt |title=Från Tre kronor till tre stjärnor |first=Jahn |last=Charleville |year=1998 |number=2 |publisher=Flygstaben |location=Stockholm |language=sv |issn=0015-4792 |id={{LIBRIS|8257600}} |page=5}} During his career, Nilsson flew, among others, J 28 Vampire, Saab 29 Tunnan, Saab 32 Lansen, Saab 35 Draken and Saab 37 Viggen. He was promoted to major in 1978 and to lieutenant colonel in 1983. From 1984 to 1986, he was head of the Aviation Unit at Uppland Wing and from 1986 to 1987, Nilsson served as head of the Aviation Service Detail (Flygtjänstdetaljen) the Air Staff. From 1988 to 1989 he was head of the Personnel Administration Department in the Air Staff and from 1989 to 1990, he studied at the Air War College in United States. Nilsson was promoted to colonel on 1 July 1990{{cite journal |url=https://www.aef.se/Flygvapnet/Tidskrifter/FV_Nytt/Flygvapennytt_1990-2.pdf |journal=Flygvapennytt |title=Utnämningar m.m. |year=1990 |number=2 |publisher=Flygstaben |location=Stockholm |language=sv |issn=0015-4792 |id={{LIBRIS|8257600}} |page=2}} and served as Deputy Sector Wing Commander and Wing Commander of Uppland Wing (F 16/Se M) in Uppsala.

On 1 July 1992, Nilsson was promoted to senior colonel{{cite journal |url=https://www.aef.se/Flygvapnet/Tidskrifter/FV_Nytt/Flygvapennytt_1992-3.pdf |journal=Flygvapennytt |title=Utnämningar |year=1992 |number=3 |publisher=Flygstaben |location=Stockholm |language=sv |issn=0015-4792 |id={{SELIBR|8257600}} |page=33}} and he then served from 1992 to 1994 as head of the Production Command (Produktionsledningen) in the Air Staff. From 1993 to 1994 he was Acting Chief of the Air Staff. From 1994 to 1995, Nilsson was head of the Production Department in the Air Force Command and from 1995 to 1996, he was head of the Northern Air Command. In 1996, Nilsson was promoted to major general and was appointed Chief of Staff of the Northern Military District. Two years later, on 1 July 1998, Nilsson was promoted to lieutenant general and was appointed Chief of the Joint Operations Command (Operationsledningen, OPL).{{cite book |url=https://gupea.ub.gu.se/bitstream/2077/59832/1/gupea_2077_59832_1.pdf |editor-first=Christina |editor-last=Spiegelberg |title=Sveriges statskalender 1998 |year=1998 |publisher=Fritzes offentliga publikationer |location=Stockholm |language=sv |isbn=9138313111 |id={{SELIBR|3682777}} |page=212}} He retired from active service in 2000.

Nilsson began his hockey career in Värmland where he represented IFK Bofors. He was seen early on as a great talent who also played for Värmland who won the TV-pucken's premiere year in 1959.{{cite web |url=https://www.swehockey.se/Gamlaswehockey.se/NyheterSIF_old/nyheterfransvenskaishockeyforbundet/2018/Januari2018/kjellnilssonhargattbort |publisher=Swedish Ice Hockey Association |title=Kjell Nilsson har gått bort |date=14 January 2018 |access-date=19 January 2021 |language=sv}} Later in his career, he represented AIK and Rögle, among others.{{cite news |url=https://www.expressen.se/sport/hockey/svensk-hockey-i-sorg-kjell-nilsson-ar-dod/ |newspaper=Expressen |title=Svensk hockey i sorg – Kjell Nilsson är död |first=Mattias |last=Tengblad |date=13 January 2018 |access-date=19 January 2021 |language=sv}} In the latter club he was also chairman from 2005 to 2009.{{cite news |url=https://www.gp.se/sport/kjell-nilsson-har-g%C3%A5tt-bort-1.5047858 |newspaper=Göteborgs-Posten |title=Kjell Nilsson har gått bort |agency=TT |date=13 January 2018 |access-date=19 January 2021 |language=sv}}

He was married to Maud from Karlskoga and they had two children.{{cite news |url=https://www.pressreader.com/sweden/vallentunadirekt/20180119/281874413821715 |newspaper=VallentunaDirekt |title=Kjell Nilsson till minne |date=20 January 2018 |access-date=20 January 2021 |language=sv}} Nilsson lived in Vallentuna where he was the coach of Vallentuna hockey school, youth team, junior and senior team.

Nilsson died on 12 January 2018 in Stockholm. The funeral took place on 9 February 2018 in Barkåkra Church, Ängelholm.{{cite news |url=https://www.svd.se/arkiv/2018-01-28/80/SVD |newspaper=Svenska Dagbladet |title=Döda |page=40 |date=28 January 2018 |access-date=7 October 2022 |language=sv |url-access=subscription}} He was interred on 9 February 2018 at Nya Kyrkogården in {{ill|Barkåkra Parish|sv|Barkåkra församling}}.{{cite web |url=https://gravar.se/forsamling/barkakra-forsamling/nya-kyrkogarden/ask/kjell-gustav-nilsson-93cea |website=www.gravar.se |title=Kjell Gustav Nilsson |access-date=7 October 2022 |language=sv}}

• 1967 – Second lieutenant
• 1969 – Lieutenant
• 1972 – Captain
• 1978 – Major
• 1983 – Lieutenant colonel
• 1 July 1990 – Colonel
• 1 July 1992 – Senior colonel
• 1996 – Major general
• 1998 – Lieutenant general

{{Reflist}}

• {{Ice hockey stats}}

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{{succession box

| title = Deputy Sector Wing Commander, Uppland Wing

| years = 1990–1992

| before = Swen Persson

| after = Ulf Sveding

}}

{{succession box

| title = Acting Chief of the Air Staff

| years = 1993–1994

| before = Bernt Östh

| after = None

}}

{{Succession box

| title = Production Department in the Air Force Command

| years = 1994–1995

| before = ?

| after = Curt Westberg

}}

{{succession box

| title = {{no wrap|Chief of Staff of the Northern Military District}}

| years = 1996–1998

| before = Lars G. Persson

| after = Lars Frisk

}}

{{succession box

| title = Northern Air Command

| years = 1995–1996

| before = Gunnar Ståhl

| after = Tord Karlsson

}}

{{succession box

| title = Chief of the Joint Operations Command

| years = 1998–2000

| before = Percurt Green

| after = None

}}

{{S-civ}}

{{succession box

| title = Chairman of the Swedish Ice Hockey Association

| years = 2002–2004

| before = Rickard Fagerlund

| after = Christer Englund

}}

{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nilsson, Kjell}}

Category:1943 births

Category:2018 deaths

Category:Swedish Air Force lieutenant generals

Category:People from Karlskoga Municipality

Category:BIK Karlskoga players

Category:Rögle BK players

Category:AIK IF players

Category:Swedish ice hockey coaches

Category:Swedish ice hockey administrators

Category:Sportspeople from Örebro County