Author: William C. Spears
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At the Hall of Heroes
Yesterday I was privileged to meet– for the first time in person– Dr. Jim Stockdale II, who graciously wrote the foreword to my book last year. Jim and I have exchanged much correspondence over the past year and have spoken more than a few times, to the point that I feel safe calling him a…
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Audiobook Released
Who is this handsome devil Stephen Caffrey? You might know him as Lt. Myron Goldman from the 1987 Vietnam drama Tour of Duty, and other fine cinema. I know him as the professional voice actor selected by the publisher to read the audiobook of Stoicism as a Warrior Philosophy, which released today. Let me tell…
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It’s Here! And its beautiful.
Although it is still a few weeks until release in the US, my book has been available in the UK since the beginning of this month. Even though I’ll soon receive a box of 50, I paid the extra shipping and duties to get a copy sent over from the UK early– over the protests…
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The Stockdale Interview
The ideal leader is, always and everywhere, an ideal person. Leaders demonstrate what “right” looks like. Whether you are a chief, an officer, or simply a mom or a dad, those who look up to you will take on aspects of your personality and behavior, like it or not. What qualities are you transmitting? CIMSEC’s…
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The Via Stoica interview
I recently had the privilege of sitting down with Benny and Brendan from Via Stoica– a nascent online Stoicism community and counseling service– for a conversation that I think was particularly insightful. In addition to the usual banter about life aboard a submarine, we got into the connections between Stoicism and military culture, particularly self-control,…
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New Cover Design!
No big article this time, really I just want to share updates on the publishing process. After much back-and-forth with Casemate’s graphics team, we have settled on a new cover design. For those wondering what’s up with the symbol, it is the greek letter “phi” which is commonly used to symbolize “philosophy,” typically in academic…
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What Moral Leadership Looks Like
There is more to the story of James Stockdale than is widely appreciated or understood.
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How Navy XOs Manage Email
Regardless of where you are in the military, an Executive Officer (XO) is an organization’s principal administrative taskmaster. The organization, or command, will generate many tasks internally, but it will also receive tasks from the Immediate Superior in Command (ISIC—such as an air group or a ship’s parent squadron) and other external organizations that should…
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Reflections on Military Blogging
One’s last few months as a Junior Officer are often a desperate bid to impart wisdom. You have learned SO MUCH—you’re practically a different person than you were just a few years ago—and somebody, anybody, needs to take note. You want to grab that new ensign by the collar. You want to scream, “Do it…
William C. Spears 