Moral Injury: Addressing Recommendation 78 of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide
| Thursday, May 21, 2026 |
| 10:00 AM - 10:29 AM |
Speaker
Chaplain (Colonel) Charles Vesely
Director, Spiritual Health & Meaning, ADF Mental Health And Wellbeing Branch.
Australian Defence Force / Department Of Defence
Moral Injury: Addressing Recommendation 78 of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide
Abstract Document
The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide (RCDVS, 2024a, 2024b) gave clear recommendations to both the Australian Department of Defence and the Department of Veteran’s Affairs with regard to Moral Injury: “Prevent, minimise and treat moral injury” (RCDVS, 2024a, RCDVS, 2024b; Recommendation 78).
Recommendation 78 was divided into three parts, namely:
(a) implementing education, training and support programs with the explicit objectives of preventing, minimising and treating moral injury
(b) consider using the Moral Injury Outcome Scale [MIOS] or other tools, as the evidence base evolves, to support the early identification and treatment of moral injury.
(c) conducting or commissioning further research to better understand moral injury in the Australian military population.
This paper will present the work of the Directorate of Spiritual Health and Meaning (DSHM; ADF Mental Health and Wellbeing Branch), with regard to the already completed and ongoing strategies for addressing each component of Recommendation 78 as directed by the RCDVS. Overall, the current evidence affirms that the DSHM has been proactive in addressing moral injury within a constantly dynamic environment. Current and future DSHM approaches will be presented to strategically maintain (given appropriate resourcing) all three RCDVS moral injury objectives in collaboration with mental health and allied health practitioners.
Key References:
*RCDVS (2024a). Recommendation 78: Prevent, minimise and treat moral injury. Executive summary and recommendations. Canberra: Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, p. 143.
*RCDVS (2024b). ‘Moral Injury’ (Chapter 21). Health Care for Serving and Ex-Serving Members. Final Report Volume 4 (Part 5). Canberra: Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, pp. 357-379.
* Carey, L.B., Vesely, C., Bambling, M., Jamieson, N., Hodgson, T.J., Watters, A., Bakhurst, M. (2025). Moral Injury: Addressing Recommendation 78 of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. Australian Army Chaplaincy Journal 2025, 1, 97-118.
Recommendation 78 was divided into three parts, namely:
(a) implementing education, training and support programs with the explicit objectives of preventing, minimising and treating moral injury
(b) consider using the Moral Injury Outcome Scale [MIOS] or other tools, as the evidence base evolves, to support the early identification and treatment of moral injury.
(c) conducting or commissioning further research to better understand moral injury in the Australian military population.
This paper will present the work of the Directorate of Spiritual Health and Meaning (DSHM; ADF Mental Health and Wellbeing Branch), with regard to the already completed and ongoing strategies for addressing each component of Recommendation 78 as directed by the RCDVS. Overall, the current evidence affirms that the DSHM has been proactive in addressing moral injury within a constantly dynamic environment. Current and future DSHM approaches will be presented to strategically maintain (given appropriate resourcing) all three RCDVS moral injury objectives in collaboration with mental health and allied health practitioners.
Key References:
*RCDVS (2024a). Recommendation 78: Prevent, minimise and treat moral injury. Executive summary and recommendations. Canberra: Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, p. 143.
*RCDVS (2024b). ‘Moral Injury’ (Chapter 21). Health Care for Serving and Ex-Serving Members. Final Report Volume 4 (Part 5). Canberra: Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, pp. 357-379.
* Carey, L.B., Vesely, C., Bambling, M., Jamieson, N., Hodgson, T.J., Watters, A., Bakhurst, M. (2025). Moral Injury: Addressing Recommendation 78 of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. Australian Army Chaplaincy Journal 2025, 1, 97-118.
Biography
Chaplain (Colonel) Charles Vesely, BTh, MMin, Dip PS, Dip IOC, MAIES, MSCA, is the Director of the Directorate of Spiritual Health and Meaning, Mental Health and Wellbeing Branch, Australian Defence Force. CHAP Vesely has over three decades of service in operational pastoral care with fire and emergency services. He has served for 20 years as an Army Chaplain and completed tours of duty in Timor-Leste, Afghanistan, Middle East and Indo-Pacific. CHAP Vesely is a passionate adult educator having held a number of instructional postings, including the Chief Instructor/Commanding Officer of the Australian Defence Force Chaplains College. Prior to pastoral ministry, CHAP Vesely came from a law enforcement background. CHAP Vesely is a minister of the Uniting Church in Australia and a Level 4 (Strategic Leadership) Certified Member of Spiritual Care Australia.
