Over the weekend, my brother-in-law texted, saying he had received five emails from my blog and wanted to make sure I was aware. The answer is both yes and no. I recently re-enabled the blog section of my website—a part of the site I hid back in 2019. It was a decision I have long regretted, and am now fixing.
Each of us has unique talents that we must use to feel whole—an ongoing part of the creation mandate, calling us to build and create through our work. Avoiding these pursuits holds us back in ways that can be deeply personal. A big part of that calling for me is writing. While I lacked confidence in my rhetorical skills growing up, I was always passionate about using words to shape arguments. I dreamed of working in that space but didn’t take steps to get there.
That changed in 2017, thanks to the encouragement of some outstanding professors at Georgetown University. I began writing, and some of my pieces were even published. It was a thrilling experience, though one that was nerve-racking because criticism is inevitable when stepping into the space of debated ideas. My position as a military officer added a layer of complication. That’s because some people struggle to separate military service from individual citizenship and intellect—unless, of course, a service member’s views align with their own.
By 2019, I was finding my stride as a writer, publishing in venues I admired. On April 19 of that year, the Modern War Institute ran a commentary in which I criticized the Pentagon Press Corps. Former journalist Mark Thompson immediately misrepresented my views on the platform then known as Twitter. I ignored his post, knowing that disagreement comes with the territory. What I didn’t realize was the size and influence of his following. The fallout was swift and severe.
For several days, I faced a viral storm of outrage. This including attacks from senior military officials, and senior Pentagon correspondents, in their official capacities. Thousands of angry notifications poured in, including calls for physical violence against me. I held my ground, believing that rational voices would prevail.
As the avalanche from a grouping of woke military officers, left-wing civil-military academics, and defense ‘journalists’ continued, a retired Army officer named Jim Golby escalated the attack. Well known in think tank circles, he had a sizable online following in civil-military discussions. Golby dug into my blog, took selective screenshots out of context, and presented them in a way that was nothing short of libelous. His goal was clear—mob incitement. In a twist of irony, the first to amplify his efforts was a professor of ethics at a military institution.
I reached out to Golby privately, asking him to stop. He refused, castigating my work as “problematic.” Two years later, in the fall of 2021, news broke that Golby had taken sexual advantage of a cadet during his time at West Point. His reputation as a leading voice in civil-military affairs quickly crumbled. Jim deleted his Twitter and hasn’t been heard from online or in professional circles since.
Seeking peace from the cancel hordes, I shut down my previously unnoticed blog and locked my Twitter account. The environment had become too toxic, and it no longer felt worth the hassle to remain public-facing. But my need to write never disappeared. Doctoral studies helped keep that part of me engaged, as did scholarly work on communication ethics and professionalism. After leaving the Army in late 2023, I unlocked my X account, returned to writing for publication, and launched a separate blog on Substack. Now, it’s time to reclaim my voice on my own platform.
Much has changed since 2019. My desire to climb the military ranks was replaced by gratitude for a 20-year career and the soldiers I was privileged to lead. I also realized that many of the people whose approval I once sought were never worth emulating. I’ll have more to say on that in the future. But for now, this moment is about reclaiming something I gave up in a moment of weakness.
In the coming days, I’ll be adding several blog entries to this site that were written over the past few months. Apologies in advance for any inbox clutter—I’ll space them out and hope you’ll stick around for the ride. Thanks for understanding and for your support.
The mobs are gone, their influence collapsed. And I’m here to stay.
Copyright 2025 Chase Spears All Rights Reserved
Dr. Chase Spears 