Chris Cassidy recently sat down with host Jimmy Deuts on the Voices from Orbit show, a podcast produced by the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation. Celebrating USNA alumni who have ventured beyond our planet, the series offers an insider’s look at the leadership, grit, and service defining Navy and NASA history.
In Season 1, Episode 2, Chris reflects on his path from York, Maine, to commanding the International Space Station. He shares candid accounts from his 11 years as a U.S. Navy SEAL, leading combat platoons in Afghanistan post-9/11, and managing high-stakes spacewalk emergencies in orbit. Reflecting on how intense team training translates across extreme environments, Chris shares a powerful lesson on collective leadership:
“If you boil down the essence of SEAL training, it’s to hammer out the ‘I’ out of a person and build back the ‘We’… 50 people united together pulling on the oar in the same direction can get a whole lot more done than 50 times one individual.”
The conversation moves past standard resume achievements to explore the shared principles driving special operations, human spaceflight, and executive leadership. It is a compelling look at resilience, mentorship, and the enduring impact of a life dedicated to service.
Listen to the interview on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts or watch on YouTube below.
