From Street Skater to Recon Scout Sniper: Steve Holland's 20-Year Marine Story | Ep #018

On this episode of The Cadre Podcast, Phillip sits down with The Cadre Lead Instructor and retired Recon Marine Steve Holland. It's been on our list since episode 13. Steve grew up in Riverside, CA, found structure in Boy Scouts, and wrote an eighth-grade paper about becoming a Navy SEAL that won his whole school district. A recruiter pointed him to Force Recon instead. He operated as a sniper for nearly his entire career before he ever went to sniper school, then went through as a senior Staff Sergeant and walked away as high spotter.

Whether you're a hunter getting ready for season, a precision shooter working on fundamentals, or thinking about a path into Recon, Steve's story is proof that process beats talent every time.

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⏱ CHAPTERS
0:00 Cold open: "I cannot come home"
1:08 Steve Holland, a year in the making
2:14 Growing up in Riverside and finding structure in Boy Scouts
4:15 The Navy SEAL paper that won the district
5:48 Skateboarding and learning not to quit
9:33 BB guns, trigger control and the Kentucky turtle pond
14:16 9/11 as a high school freshman
17:00 Why Force Recon instead of the SEALs
19:36 The four-minute mile and a recruiter who didn't lie
22:40 Meeting Joelle
26:50 Boot camp alongside Solo
30:14 SOI, camp guard and the recon screener
35:28 The snowboarding injury the week before BRC
42:07 Getting through BRC
44:39 The MEU platoon and learning from Dan
51:15 Capability over qualifications
51:55 First deployment: the call from Kuwait
54:54 The first IED and a platoon sergeant he'll never forget
1:00:38 First contact
1:01:40 Lance Corporal to Sergeant in one deployment
1:03:30 MARSOC stands up
1:05:04 "No cert. Shut up. Sit in the back."
1:07:49 Helicopter raids and where "HAF" came from
1:11:09 Missing Afghanistan and meeting Bumpus
1:14:54 BRC instructor: "crush bodies" mode
1:15:57 Instructor vs. teacher
1:21:45 The surprise fourth year
1:25:27 Sniper school as a senior SSgt: "shut up and color"
1:28:00 Teaching classmates the why
1:30:24 Qual day: spotting for half the class
1:31:41 Hodnett's quick wind: "This is magic"
1:33:44 High spotter and the Vortex binos
1:36:15 Reserves and standing up the Recon Sniper Course
1:40:24 Why the fire service
1:41:34 "Question everything"
1:42:41 "I know how to find targets"
1:45:36 Joining The Cadre
1:48:22 Building a following by teaching the why
1:53:18 Training local law enforcement
1:54:04 His son Hunter joins the Marine Corps
1:58:46 Advice to his 13-year-old self
2:00:33 Wrap-up and 2027 courses

CONNECT WITH THE TEAM
Phillip Velayo – https://www.instagram.com/velayo_0317
Jon Bumpus –  https://www.instagram.com/thecadre.jon
Steve Holland –  https://www.instagram.com/steve_haf
The Cadre –  https://www.instagram.com/thecadre.training

Precision Through Chaos.