Serving those who serve

A Seventh-day Adventist pastor has been appointed as a Navy chaplain with the Australian Defence Force (ADF), providing pastoral care and spiritual support to service members and their families.

Following a recruitment process that took more than 12 months, Pastor William Moala has been formally enlisted into the ADF and is now based at HMAS Encounter, located within the Osborne Naval Shipyard precinct at Outer Harbour, South Australia. His role includes offering pastoral support, counselling and spiritual guidance to Navy personnel.

Pastor Moala completed four weeks of initial military training at HMAS Creswell, south of Sydney, in 2025. As a Navy chaplain, he will serve alongside other chaplains across the Defence Force, supporting personnel in both professional and personal settings.

Reflecting on his appointment, Pastor Moala described the role as a long-held aspiration. “It has been a dream come true,” he said. “I praise God for the opportunity to serve the men and women who protect our country.”

As part of his chaplaincy role, Pastor Moala has already been involved in community and youth engagement.

ADF chaplains provide non-denominational pastoral care while remaining endorsed by their faith communities. Their responsibilities include supporting personnel during deployments, offering counselling services and assisting families connected to the Defence service.

Pastor Moala’s appointment adds to the ongoing contribution of Seventh-day Adventist pastors serving in chaplaincy roles across education, healthcare, emergency services and the Defence Force in Australia.—Juliana Muniz