[2] He became a volunteer in Svea Life Guards at the age of 17 and thus began an unusual career "the long way" from non-commissioned officer to lieutenant general.

He attended the Swedish Army Non-Commissioned Officer School and at the same time studied for studentexamen, which he passed in 1929.

He was commissioned as an officer the same year and was assigned to South Scania Infantry Regiment as a second lieutenant.

[2] He served from 1943 to 1945 at the Recruiting and Replacement Office (Centrala värnpliktsbyrån) in the Army Staff and was then the first teacher in tactics at the Artillery and Engineering College from 1945 to 1949.

[4][2] Brandberg was a member of the Gruppchefsutredningen from 1949 to 1952 and the Total Defence Personnel Inquiry (Totalförsvarets personalutredning) from 1955 to 1961.