After passing studentexamen from Vasa högre allmänna läroverk in Gothenburg in 1944, he was accepted as an officer candidate at the Royal Swedish Naval Academy in Stockholm.

He was promoted to sub-lieutenant in 1949[1] and was trained in the torpedo officer program and served during the subaltern years mainly on destroyers.

[1] After completing the Royal Swedish Naval Staff College with a higher torpedo technical course in the mid-1950s, he served for a couple of years as adjutant to the Inspector of the Submarine Service, specializing in anti-submarine issues.

[7] Much of his time was taken up by the major investigations, which aimed to give the Swedish Fleet a heightened level of constant readiness.

They resulted in a major reorganization and reunification of the supply depot system, so that all ships could be kept materially ready for action.

[3] On 1 October 1980, Enquist was appointed chief of staff in the Western Military District in Skövde.

The era was characterized not least by feared underwater violations of Swedish territorial waters, with accompanying extensive anti-submarine warfare activities.