Garrett Ham

In 2019, after practicing law for nine years, I started studying for a Master of Divinity at Yale University. I completed my first phase of theological training at Ouachita Baptist University, a conservative evangelical school operating in a much different environment than the liberal atmosphere at Yale. While Yale has a national reputation for progressive activism, the Divinity School itself had a reputation — even among the undergraduates — as being a little over the top.

I chose Yale for the academic excellence, not to be converted. I was there because the best way to sharpen your convictions is to test them against the strongest counterarguments — and Yale offered plenty. In the process, I became a William F. Buckley Fellow — the only one in my program, as far as I'm aware — which gave me the chance to counter the progressive orthodoxy I regularly encountered with the legacy of one of conservatism's greatest voices. I left New Haven with a Master of Divinity and the kind of intellectual confidence that comes from engaging the opposition on its own turf.

Faith

Faith isn't a private footnote for me — it's the foundation. I grew up in the evangelical tradition and came to Catholicism through it, not away from it — my Catholic faith is the fullest expression of what I first encountered in the evangelical Baptist churches of Arkansas, though I understand to some this may be hard to understand. I like to tell people that I went to Yale a conservative and left even more conservative, pressing back beyond Martin Luther to the Church Fathers.

I approach theology as both a spiritual practice and an intellectual pursuit. During my time at Yale, I completed a clinical placement as a hospital chaplain at Norwalk Hospital, providing pastoral care to patients and families in acute and end-of-life settings. My theological writing sits alongside my other work because I believe serious faith demands serious thinking. The public square is better when people of faith show up with both conviction and charity.

Service in Uniform

My military career spans two branches of the armed forces. I commissioned as a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Army National Guard, serving as Trial Counsel for artillery and aviation brigades — handling disciplinary actions and advising commanders on operational risk and regulatory obligations. I then went on active duty with the Air Force JAG Corps, where I prosecuted military justice cases — the vast majority of which involved sexual assault and child pornography. These were cases that demanded moral seriousness, prosecutorial precision, and an unwavering commitment to justice. I served in various roles in base legal offices in the Air Force, including Chief of Military Justice, Chief of Civil Law, and Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. The JAG Corps taught me discipline, duty, and the weight of the law when liberty is at stake.

Law and Business

After graduating from law school but before military service, I worked at Walmart's corporate headquarters managing a portfolio of real estate assets and directing a subset of a $400M in-store leasing program. I also served as a Deputy Prosecutor in Benton County, prosecuting felonies, before going on active duty. Today I run Weekender Management, a short-term rental management company I founded while completing my M.Div. at Yale that has grown to 70 properties across three states.

Teaching and Community

Since 2019, I've regularly taught as an adjunct instructor at the University of Arkansas, leading instruction in Military Law, Professional Responsibility, and Law & Ethics for graduate and law students. I have served as Board President of Northwest Arkansas Senior Services Inc., a nonprofit operating a 31-home retirement community. I currently serve as Third Vice Chair of the Benton County Republican Committee, and I've been on the advisory board of the Pruet School of Christian Studies at Ouachita Baptist University since 2011. When I'm not writing or working, I officiate high school varsity football — a habit I picked up in New Haven.

Why This Blog Exists

This site exists for personal civic engagement and community discussion. It's a place to think out loud about the things that matter — faith and its role in public life, the duties of service, the principles of constitutional liberty, and what it means to build a community worth passing on. The writing here is serious but accessible, rooted in conviction but open to conversation. Anyone wishing to engage with me about what I discuss is welcome to email me any time at garrett@garrettham.com.