EP-411 | Will Spears - From Enlisted Electrician to Submarine Commander: A Nuclear Journey

·1 hr 32 min·5 clips

A 25-year-old WWII submarine commander who survived being depth-charged for a day and a half made a young midshipman realize where he belonged.

The episode features Navy Commander Will Spears on the Mentors for Military podcast. Spears begins by explaining his current role as an O-5 commander working a desk job at the Pentagon between sea tours. He recounts enlisting in the Navy in 2001 as a nuclear power electrician after high school, motivated by training and his parents' advice. During nuclear power school in Charleston, South Carolina, he was mentored by chiefs who praised submarines, influencing his path. Spears applied for officer programs and was accepted to the Naval Academy, describing the difficult transition from feeling like an adult to being a midshipman again. A key moment was attending a submarine birthday ball as a sophomore, where he met an elderly WWII submarine commander who had been depth-charged; this story solidified his decision to join the submarine force. He explains the differences between attack submarines (multipurpose, hunt submarines) and ballistic missile submarines (Trident, deterrent), and operational details like deployments, food limitations, and the advantage of nuclear power for speed and endurance. Spears describes submarine culture, where qualification and knowledge are paramount, and every crew member is a firefighter. He emphasizes a culture of accountability, where enlisted personnel are expected to refuse unsafe orders. The conversation shifts to Stoicism, which Spears discovered at the academy through Vice Admiral Stockdale, a Vietnam POW. He defines Stoicism as a philosophy focusing on virtue and controlling one's judgments, not external events. Spears connects it to military resilience and shares a personal anecdote about choosing to be a 'good man' over a 'good officer' to help a sailor in crisis. The episode blends personal narrative with technical explanations of submarine operations and philosophical discussion.

As heard by us

A submariner's career story turns technical expertise and honor into a practical test for leadership.

Will's account gives this episode a clear careers-and-leadership shape. The Naval Academy comes through as a genuine fresh start, with several paths still open, while his submarine experience shows how much expert knowledge can sit behind explanations that sound simple from the…

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want a military career story with submarine nerdery and a useful test for the choices that follow.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Mentors for Military Podcast