Capt. Sarah Spradlin, USMC, Special Operations Command

·35 min·3 clips

Sarah Spradlin discovered that emotional intelligence, not just physical strength, is key to selecting elite special operators.

Captain Sarah Spradlin, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC), discusses her military career and her subsequent research on emotional intelligence in special operations. Host Greg Corombos guides the conversation with Dr. Spradlin, who now focuses on the science of emotional intelligence, particularly for female special operators. Her father, a Russian linguist in military intelligence, and other family members inspired her early interest in service. Spradlin explains that choosing the Marine Corps felt like a distinct calling, separate from simply selecting a military branch. At Virginia Tech, she was mentored by Colonel Wesley Fox, a Medal of Honor recipient from the Vietnam War, who exemplified quiet, principled leadership. She was commissioned in May 2001, and the 9/11 attacks fundamentally shifted her perspective on the risks and realities of military service. Her first assignment was as an adjutant with the 3rd Force Service Support Group in Okinawa, providing an early strategic-level viewpoint. Later, she oversaw female recruits at Parris Island's all-female 4th Battalion and commanded the Special Training Company, which managed recruits in medical or administrative holding. While at Parris Island, she helped develop a strategic manpower officer course, which led to her recruitment by the nascent MARSOC to help build its administrative and manpower functions. Observing MARSOC's assessment and selection process revealed three key criteria: measurable physical fitness, cognitive intellect, and a complex set of interpersonal competencies. She identified this third category as emotional intelligence, defined as the ability to identify, assess, and manage emotional information for optimal outcomes. Her doctoral research began to formally study the influence of emotional intelligence on selecting and developing special operations forces (SOF) candidates. She notes that prior, peer-reviewed research on women and emotional intelligence in SOF was virtually non-existent. A core insight is that emotional intelligence is as critical to mission success in volatile environments as physical and cognitive abilities. Her research is heavily data-driven, utilizing assessment scores and software analysis, but is enriched by contextual feedback from one-on-one interviews. She observes that female candidates universally respect established SOF standards and do not seek modifications, a sentiment reciprocated by male operators. A significant challenge remains optimizing interdisciplinary physiological and psychological support for women to ensure peak performance. Integrating emotional intelligence training aims to strengthen Preservation of the Force and Family (POTFF) initiatives and mitigate mental health issues. A recent milestone was teaching emotional intelligence to senior leaders at the National Defense University, signaling top-down acceptance of the concept. The tone is conversational and educational, blending personal narrative with scientific explanation. This episode will appeal to listeners interested in special operations culture, military psychology, leadership development, and the integration of women in combat roles. Those seeking primarily tactical combat stories or skeptical of psychological concepts in military training might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

A Marine oral history that connects selection, emotional intelligence, and special operations without losing its edge.

Captain Sarah Spradlin's path runs from Chicago suburb roots and family service into Marine special operations, then into research that gives her second career real shape.

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Why you'd press play

Follow a Marine officer from service lore into the logic of MARSOC selection and the research that followed.

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