David Thiem, Captain of the School in 1971, is a Minister of the Uniting Church and has served in parishes in Burra, LeFevre Peninsula, Queanbeyan and Canberra Central. He was also the Associate National Director for Frontier Services.
From mid 1986 until 2020 he served as a Uniting Church Chaplain with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Naval Reserve. His chaplaincy has included postings onboard HMAS Westralia and HMAS Swan and ashore at HMAS Encounter, HMAS Cerberus, HMAS Stirling, HMAS Harman and the Australian Defence Force Academy.
From September 1991 to March 1992 David saw operational service in the Middle East onboard HMAS Sydney in Operation DAMASK IV. He also saw active service onboard HMAS Melbourne during the INTERFET operation in East Timor, in early 2000, where he was seconded as chaplain to the 3rd Royal Australian Regiment.
David served on the PAC School Council in 1986-87 prior to full-time Navy Chaplaincy.
He retired in January 2020 after 40 years of ordained ministry including more than 30 years of Navy chaplaincy.