Welcome to Eyes Only.
I’m Wes O’Donnell, an independent journalist, military veteran, filmmaker, and Juris Doctor. I cover modern warfare, military technology, international relations, and the ideas shaping the future of conflict. My goal is simple: explain complicated subjects without talking down to people. My veteran sense of humor is dark, sarcastic, and gets especially severe when I encounter a lack of common sense.
If you’ve ever wished the evening news spent less time chasing outrage and more time explaining why something matters, you’re in the right place. But also worth remembering that I am not fair and balanced. I have opinions, hate authoritarian regimes, and write about the frequent absurdity around us.
Who Is Wes O'Donnell?
I served in both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force before beginning a career in journalism and media. Today I report on the Ukraine War, European security, defense technology, artificial intelligence, and geopolitics for an audience of hundreds of thousands across YouTube, Substack, Medium, and social media.
Over the years, my work has appeared in publications including the New York Post, The Sun, RealClearDefense, Cyber Defense Magazine, Soldier of Fortune, War Is Boring, and others. I’ve also been recognized as a Top Writer on Medium in both Culture and History.
I’ve worn a lot of hats over the years: soldier, filmmaker, entrepreneur, marketer, speaker, and law grad. They all ended up feeding the same mission. Learn complicated things, then explain them in plain English.
What Is Eyes Only?
Eyes Only is my flagship publication.
Here you’ll find original reporting, battlefield analysis, military technology breakdowns, historical context, and commentary on the political and cultural forces influencing the world around us.
My reporting is independent. I don’t answer to a newsroom, a political party, or a corporate owner. That independence lets me follow the evidence wherever it leads, call out bad analysis regardless of who makes it, and spend time explaining stories that deserve more than a thirty-second television segment.
Think of it as an intelligence briefing written by someone who occasionally makes fun of Russian procurement.
Beyond the Page
Before focusing on journalism full time, I directed the award-winning short film Memorial Day, which received Best Drama at the Oregon Cinema Arts Festival and a Special Mention at the One Reeler Short Film Competition in Los Angeles.
I also co-hosted Mysteries Decoded on The CW, an experience that reinforced something I’ve always believed: people love a good mystery, especially when it’s grounded in evidence instead of speculation.
Books
As writing is my first passion, I’m the author of RISE, Unsalted, The Veteran Entrepreneur Handbook, and Own the Crowd, available at bookstores nationwide.
Presenter
I regularly speak to universities, corporations, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations on topics including military technology, artificial intelligence, national security, leadership, veteran transition, storytelling, and strategic communication.
My goal is always the same: make complex ideas understandable, useful, and memorable.
Life Outside the Spotlight
I grew up in Dallas, Texas, and now live in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with my wife, three children, and two Siberian Huskies.
When I’m not researching the next story, you’ll probably find me behind a camera, restoring another corner of my YouTube studio, gaming, reading military history, or wondering how a country with the world’s second-largest army managed to lose tanks to hobby drones.
Stay Connected
Ready to dive deeper?
Subscribe to Eyes Only on Substack and join a community of readers who appreciate informed analysis with a side of wit (or at least half of it).
For speaking engagements, consulting, or just to say hi, reach out at the button below or email me at wes@wesodonnell.com.
Welcome to the resistance.