From Enlisted Electrician to Submarine Commander: A Nuclear Journey

U.S. Navy Commander Will Spears shares his path from enlisting as a nuclear electrician to becoming a submarine officer, detailing intense training, life aboard attack and ballistic submarines, and the realities of operating nuclear propulsion undersea. He discusses leadership, accountability, damage control, and how stoic philosophy shaped his approach to moral decisions and resilience, and mentions his book "Stoicism as a Warrior Philosophy." His book https://a.co/d/014W9QrP His substack https://williamcspears.substack.com/ _______________ MENTORS4MIL SHOW LINKS: SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/@Mentors4mil Support the Show: https://www.patreon.com/Mentors4mil Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentors-for-military-podcast/id1072421783 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3w4RiZBxBS8EDy6cuOlbUl Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentors4mil Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mentors4Mil/ Follow on X: https://www.twitter.com/mentors4mil Mentors4mil Website: https://www.mentorsformilitary.com #mentors4mil #mentorsformilitary #submarinecommander #nuclearsubmariner 00:00 Intro 03:35 Why He Joined the U.S. Navy 12:40 Applying to the Naval Academy & transition 16:00 Choosing submarines (birthday ball story) 20:06 First assignments: Guam & Pearl Harbor 24:09 Attack vs ballistic missile submarines 33:53 Depth, cavitation & tactical factors 47:05 Sub culture, qualifications 01:01:02 Stoicism: intro & military relevance 01:08:00 Stoicism in practice & moral dilemmas 01:23:44 Future plans & nuclear policy concerns 01:31:32 Closing remarks & final takeaway Intro music "Long Way Down" by Silence & Light is used with permission. Show Disclaimer: https://mentorsformilitary.com/disclaimer/