This week, we go beneath the surface literally and philosophically.

Commander William C. Spears is a submarine warfare officer in the United States Navy, a nuclear-trained officer, and the author of Stoicism as a Warrior Philosophy. From enlisting in the Navy’s nuclear propulsion program straight out of Pineville, Louisiana, to graduating from the United States Naval Academy with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Spears has built a career defined by discipline, depth, and deliberate leadership.

He has served aboard multiple nuclear-powered submarines, including as Weapons Officer on a fast-attack submarine and Executive Officer on a Trident missile submarine—positions where decisions aren’t just tactical… they’re existential. Ashore, he has evaluated combat readiness across the submarine force and now serves inside the Pentagon in strategic assessment, shaping national defense at the highest levels before returning to sea duty in 2026.

But this conversation goes beyond rank and résumé.

We dive into:

    •    What leadership looks like when you’re sealed underwater for months at a time

    •    How Stoicism moves from ancient philosophy to modern warfare

    •    The psychological weight of command in environments where failure isn’t an option

    •    How discipline, ethics, and mental clarity define a warrior long before combat

    •    And why antagonizing your family with philosophical inquiry might just be elite-level dad humor

From nuclear reactors to national strategy, from depth charges to depth of character—this episode explores what it means to lead with conviction when pressure is constant and unseen.

Off duty. Off script. And far beyond the barrel.

Timestamps: 

3:15  Louisiana Roots

6:20  9/11 Experience

14:40  Submarine Culture

20:05  Life Underwater

25:50  Family Separation

32:10  Writing Journey

39:20  Publishing Process

46:30  Stockdale Influence

52:05  Hawaii & Japan

If you like what you hear, like, subscribe and follow the Beyond the Barrel podcast on Instagram:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/beyond_the_barrel_pod/⁠⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices