Reverend Andrew Nixon – Australia’s inaugural Anglican Archdeacon to Veterans
Former Governor-General David Hurley AC CVO DSC, Mrs Jenny Nixon, Mrs Linda Hurley and Archdeacon Andrew Nixon at his collation ceremony, St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, 28 July 2025
Former Governor-General David Hurley AC CVO DSC, Mrs Jenny Nixon, Mrs Linda Hurley and Archdeacon Andrew Nixon at his collation ceremony, St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, 28 July 2025

 

Reverend Andrew Nixon has been appointed as the inaugural Archdeacon to Veterans by the Anglican Church of Australia (ACA) in a resounding endorsement of the role of chaplains in providing spiritual and pastoral support to serving ADF personnel and their families, regardless of their religious beliefs. 

Reverend Nixon served as a Navy officer from 1989 until 2001, where he specialised in war­fare and leadership training. He left the ADF to pursue a career in the Anglican ministry before returning as a reserve Chaplain in 2011. 

‘This appointment is about bringing to the fore the importance of supporting veterans and recog­nising there are veterans right across the country in all our parishes, in our suburbs and in our neighbourhoods,’ Andrew says. ‘It’s an incred­ible honour to support and represent Australia’s veteran community as the inaugural Archdeacon to Veterans.’ 

Evidence brought before the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide highlighted the important role that ADF Chaplains play in suicide prevention and care and in supporting veterans with moral injury. Moral injury is a trauma-related syndrome caused by the physical, psychological, social and spiritual impact of grievous moral vio­lations of an individual’s deeply held moral beliefs or ethical standards. 

‘Moral injury is about damage to the human spirit – that part inside us that makes us, us,’ Andrew explains. Chaplaincy is about caring for our human spirit. It’s not a religious thing – it’s a human thing. 

‘Everybody has a deep part of them which deter­mines their identity and purpose. We ask our ADF members to go and do really difficult things, which can both clarify and challenge this identity and purpose. We ask them to put their life on the line, to potentially take the life of another per­son, or even to lose a mate. There’s a really deep dimension to that – a spiritual dimension.’ 

His belief in the importance of chaplaincy has led Andrew to take up the role of Director of DVA’s Veterans’ Chaplaincy Pilot Program (VCPP), which offers chaplaincy services to transition­ing ADF members, veterans and their families, ensuring continuity of spiritual and pastoral sup­port when they leave the ADF. 

Archdeacon Andrew Nixon with Meg Green AM at the War Widows Day 2025 commemorative service in Sydney
Archdeacon Andrew Nixon with Meg Green AM at the War Widows Day 2025 commemorative service in Sydney

The VCPP is currently being trialled in Perth, Brisbane and Townsville. All transitioning members of the ADF, as well as veterans and their families, can access these support services, regardless of their personal faith. 

‘The ADF is really clear about the provision of chaplaincy, because of the work we ask of our ser­vice personnel,’ Andrew says. ‘I feel very deeply that veterans are my people, so working in this role feels like I’m back home, which is an amaz­ing privilege.’ 

To learn more about the program, visit see the Veterans’ Chaplaincy Pilot Program on the DVA website.