Author: William C. Spears
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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…
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Military Publishers
Over the past year, as I’ve stumbled my way through the publication of my first book, I’ve learned more about the military publishing world than I ever intended to. Much of it came through trial and error, awkward email exchanges, rejected proposals, and long conversations with people far more experienced than me. None of what…
William C. Spears 