The Cadre Podcast · 13 episodes

Train with us. Listen first. Honest debriefs from the firing line.

Three former Marine Scout Snipers, plus the people who train with them, on what actually works behind the rifle. After-action reviews, gear deep-dives, and long conversations about the difference between knowing the fundamentals and owning them.

Listen on Spotify Apple Podcasts Watch on YouTube
Hosts
Phillip Velayo, Jon Bumpus, Eric D'Oro
Cadence
New episodes monthly
Format
Long-form debriefs, 50 min – 2 hr

These debriefs are how we hold ourselves accountable for what we teach.

The Cadre — We say it on the show. We live it on the range.
The full catalog · 3 full debriefs

Every Episode

Newest first. Episodes marked Full debrief have a dedicated page with notes, chapter links, and pull quotes. Everything else opens on YouTube.

  1. 1:23:27
    Ep 012 Mar 27, 2026 Watch on YouTube

    Inside a Foundation Course

    Instructor Debrief

    A no-marketing breakdown of what happened over two days at a Foundation course — what students walked away with, what we changed, and what condensing three days into two cost us.

    TeachingCurriculum
  2. 1:30:08
    Ep 011 Mar 20, 2026 Full debrief

    NRL Hunter Mason Valley

    Sustains, Improves, and Hard Lessons

    Day-one debrief from NRL Hunter Mason Valley. Twelve stages, borrowed suppressors, and a long conversation about where your focus actually lives when you're behind the gun.

    NRL HunterAARMental Game
  3. 52:51
    Ep 010 Mar 7, 2026 Watch on YouTube

    Stay in Your Process

    Ian Miner on Match Flow & the Ego Problem

    Ian Miner on local matches, what happens to your process when you start competing against your neighbors, and how the hunting and competition mindsets actually translate to each other.

    Mental GameLocal Matches
  4. 1:37:02
    Ep 009 Feb 27, 2026 Watch on YouTube

    From Addiction to Precision Shooting

    Sam Carlson's Journey

    Sam Carlson on rebuilding a life around precision rifle, the work behind the suppressor industry, and what gets a person to the range every weekend instead of somewhere worse.

    StoryIndustry
  5. 1:08:57
    Ep 008 Feb 19, 2026 Watch on YouTube

    NRL Hunter Pro Am AAR

    Tips for New Competitors

    After-action from the NRL Hunter Pro Am. What new competitors should know before signing up, and what we'd tell ourselves before our first one if we could.

    NRL HunterFirst Match
  6. 1:26:44
    Ep 007 Feb 13, 2026 Watch on YouTube

    Realistic Expectations Before Your First Competition

    With Ian Miner

    Ian Miner on what to expect when the timer starts on your first match. Where new shooters lose time, what doesn't matter, and the one thing that always does.

    First MatchMental Game
  7. 1:31:32
    Ep 006 Feb 11, 2026 Watch on YouTube

    Marine Recon Sniper

    Bridging the Military-Civilian Gap

    A Marine Recon Sniper on what carries from the school to the civilian competition line, what doesn't, and what the rifle game still gets wrong about military marksmanship.

    MilitaryStory
  8. 1:45:54
    Ep 005 Jan 31, 2026 Full debrief

    Precision Rifle Competition Tips

    Zero Angles, Factory Ammo & Performance Training

    Practical answers on zero angle, when factory ammo is enough, and how performance training is different than fundamentals training — and which one you actually need right now.

    Q&AGear
  9. 1:27:39
    Ep 004 Jan 28, 2026 Watch on YouTube

    New Gear, Course Philosophy & Advanced Shooting

    With Steve Holland

    Steve Holland on what makes a shooter "advanced," what gear has actually changed the game in the last five years, and how we think about course design at The Cadre.

    GearTeaching
  10. 2:07:28
    Ep 003 Jan 23, 2026 Watch on YouTube

    The Cadre Q&A Part 2

    Bag Riders, Barrel Break-In & Beginner Mistakes

    Listener questions, straight answers. Bag riders, barrel break-in, and the beginner mistakes that show up the same way at every Foundation course we run.

    Q&ABeginner
  11. 1:43:38
    Ep 002 Jan 18, 2026 Watch on YouTube

    The Cadre Q&A

    Match Prep, Wind Calls & Rifle Setup

    Part one of the Q&A series. Match prep that actually moves the needle, where most wind calls go wrong, and why your rifle setup might be holding you back without you knowing it.

    Q&AWind
  12. 1:42:13
    Ep 001 Apr 3, 2025 Full debrief

    Who Is The Cadre?

    The First Episode

    Phil, Jon, and Matt Solowinski introduce the show and the mission — building a precision rifle training community that serves new shooters and top competitors with the same standard of instruction.

    IntroStory
About the show

Who's behind the mic.

No podcast voice. No sponsored takes. The same instructors who run the classes — talking through what they learned this week and how it should change the way they teach next week.

Phillip Velayo

Co-founder · Lead Instructor

Former Marine Scout Sniper. Builds the curriculum and runs point on most of the match-prep and wind conversations on the show.

Jon Bumpus

Co-founder · Instructor

Former Marine Scout Sniper. The shooter's voice — process, position, and what actually breaks down when the timer starts.

Eric D'Oro

Instructor · Competitor

Active NRL Hunter competitor. Brings the most recent match miles to every episode, plus the sustains-and-improves discipline the show is built on.

Train with us

The work behind the talk.

The podcast is the conversation. The course is where the work happens. Same instructors, same process — on the range with you.

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