Shoutout From The Pit

Joel’s story is a blunt reminder that rock bottom doesn’t always involve handcuffs or headlines. In this episode, Joel opens up about childhood trauma, addiction, ego, control, relapse, and the moment his internal voice shifted from self hatred to hope. He shares how detox, honesty, service work, music, and community, especially Bridging the Gap, became the foundation of his recovery. This episode explores shame, guilt, faith without dogma, the danger of isolation, and why “the only thing waiting in the comfort zone is alcoholism.” If you’re new to recovery, stuck in the middle, or questioning whether change is...

In this episode, the women’s round table dives deep into Boundaries and Bedevilments, unpacking what it really means to protect your sobriety while navigating real life. Through candid stories about relationships, trauma responses, money, fear, meditation, and spiritual growth, the panel explores how healthy boundaries are built, why they’re for you, not other people, and how the Big Book’s bedevilments give way to the Promises over time. This conversation blends laughter, hard truths, and practical tools, reminding listeners that while sobriety doesn’t eliminate chaos, it does offer clarity, connection, and a way through it together.

Ne...

When Shari received a breast cancer diagnosis, surrender wasn’t an option. In this episode, Shari and her husband Les share the full arc of their cancer journey from early detection through routine mammograms, to an aggressive treatment plan involving chemotherapy and immunotherapy, to the emotional, financial, and relational realities few people talk about out loud. With honesty, dark humor, and hard won insight, they explore what it means to fight without denial, support without fixing, and stay mentally and emotionally engaged when everything feels out of control. This episode is a candid conversation about resilience, partnership, early detection, an...

The tribe sits down with Chris T., a husband, father, tech wirehead, astronomer, and recovering alcoholic with just over 20 years of sobriety. Chris shares a raw, unpolished story of early rebellion, crime, addiction, repeated detox attempts, and the moment he finally asked for help; not because he had a plan, but because he wanted to live. The conversation dives deep into long-term recovery, sponsorship, service work, accountability, boundaries, amends, and spiritual growth without dogma. Chris also reflects on surviving catastrophic motorcycle accidents and multiple strokes, and how perspective, gratitude, and helping others keep him grounded today. This is a...

In this episode the Old Rucker continues the Therapeutic Writing in Recovery series with guest and author JC Crumpton, a Navy veteran who shares how creative writing became a critical tool in his recovery after surviving a devastating automobile accident that resulted in a traumatic brain injury (TBI). JC reflects on growing up as a military brat, navigating family alcoholism, adapting to life after brain injury, and learning long term coping strategies for memory, emotional regulation, and identity shifts. Through candid conversation, he explains how journaling, poetry, and longhand writing help him process trauma, manage depression, and rebuild a...

This episode Team Cheremy opens the new year with a raw, deeply personal conversation about the family disease of alcoholism, focusing on how addiction and recovery ripple across generations. They explore lived experience rather than theory, as Linda and her niece Lauren both sober members of Alcoholics Anonymous share candid stories of growing up around alcoholism, navigating abandonment, secrecy, relapse, and ultimately finding recovery, boundaries, and spiritual grounding. Through honest dialogue, reflections, and practical insight, the episode examines detachment with love, family roles, myths around “rock bottom,” and how trust in recovery communities can heal fractured relationships. The result is a...

In this episode of the Old Rucker sits down with Edye and Paul and joined by Mandy, Sherry, Jeremy, Dwight, Joel & Linda for a blunt, experience driven conversation about what it actually means to be a couple in recovery. Drawing from deeply personal histories of addiction, grief, loss, and long term sobriety, Edye and Paul break down how independent recovery programs, clear boundaries, service work, and honest communication make a healthy relationship possible not easy, but real. This episode cuts through recovery cliches and relationship myths, focusing instead on actions over words, accountability over comfort, and why love in s...

Bob sits down with Lynn Combs an award winning author, speaker, designer, whose journey as a Navy brat, single mother, and late blooming writer embodies the show’s core belief that everyone has a story worth telling and that the telling itself can be transformative. Lynn shares how writing became both a lifeline and a compass through abuse, trauma, self doubt, and years of believing she “couldn’t write” after being told so. Lynn walks through her path from private journaling and poetry to joining supportive writing communities, entering contests, and eventually winning 14 out of 19 submissions at a writers conferen...

In this Ladies Round Table, Cherie and Mandy gather an incredible circle of women to dive into the messy, beautiful realities of Attitude, Acceptance, and Action three deceptively simple words that turn into raw, life altering conversations. From childhood anxiety to lifelong people pleasing, from loss that shatters faith to grief that rewires identity, the group shares honest tools, morning rituals, spiritual practices, and the hard won wisdom that keeps them sober, centered, and moving forward. What unfolds is a vulnerable, uplifting look at how women endure, rebuild, and show up for life on life’s terms together, unfiltered, an...

In this round table Jeremy hosts as the tribe digs into therapeutic modalities everything from CBT, CPT, DBT, EMDR, ECT, exercise, yoga, meditation, breathwork, grief practices, and the unconventional “whatever actually works” approaches that helped them survive trauma, depression, anxiety, loss, and sobriety. The tribe shares firsthand experiences ranging from military PTSD and prolonged exposure work to the quiet therapy of dogs, music, kayaking, community, and simply talking honestly with other men. It’s practical, vulnerable, messy, and packed with hard earned tools for anyone building their own recovery toolbox. This conversation is uncensored and may include triggers. If you ne...

Samantha first had to struggle with the ism in alcoholism, a monumental battle on its own. Then came facing the ugliness behind the mask, beginning a long journey of self realization and recovery. No one could have told her that the tools she gained in sobriety would become the only anchor strong enough to prepare her for the most devastating challenge still ahead.

Bob sits down with Samantha as she traces her path from chaotic childhood dynamics and an alcohol soaked early adulthood into a grinding fight for sobriety and purpose. She walks through the masks she...

In this holiday season episode, Team Cheremy leads a raw conversation with Bob, Kimberly, Joel, Sam, and joining later RedBeard about the challenges of staying sober, dealing with the stress of the holidays, family tension, loneliness, and social pressure peak. The group shares personal stories, relapse statistics, practical tools for navigating triggering gatherings, strategies for setting boundaries, and the importance of tribe, honesty, service, and preparedness. Blending humor, vulnerability, and real world experience, the panel offers listeners grounded encouragement and actionable tips to protect their sobriety, manage emotions, and reshape expectations during the most demanding time of the year.<...

Bob the Old Rucker and Mandy sit down with Rhona, whose hard won journey from a painful childhood, addiction, loss, and nine heart attacks to seven years of recovery is nothing short of a gut punching miracle. Rhona shares how early family dysfunction left her searching for belonging in all the wrong places, how addiction stripped away her kids, stability, and identity, and how a single friend’s invitation to a meeting set her on a path to rebuild her life through AA, sponsorship, sober living, and fierce honesty. With reflections on shame, amends, boundaries, faith, service work, and re...

Bob “the Old Rucker” sits down with longtime friend Sloan and Dwight to explore Sloan’s powerful story of recovery from alcoholism and meth addiction. From a chaotic childhood marked by family alcoholism to years lost in a cycle of drug use, self destruction, and near death experiences, Sloan shares how he found hope after hitting rock bottom thanks to a life threatening medical crisis, a timely invitation to an AA meeting, and a newfound willingness to change. Now sober for over four years, he reflects on rebuilding his life with gratitude, spiritual growth, and the support of the tribe...

This short centers around personal authenticity and recovery, using the “Three A’s” Awareness, Acceptance, and Action as a roadmap for self-improvement. Bob shares personal reflections on identity, fear of rejection, and the masks people wear to fit in. The episode mixes humor, spiritual insight, and practical steps for letting go of old habits and embracing genuine selfhood

Practical Habit-Building Tips

Old Rucker sits down with Jeremy and Cherie, a married couple who survived alcoholism, military service, and near destruction to become examples of resilience and partnership in sobriety. They recount meeting as teens, marrying young, and enduring years of alcohol abuse that led to emotional distance, isolation, and even violent incidents including one involving their dog that became a turning point toward recovery. Jeremy’s military career and PTSD intersected with their drinking, while Cherie’s feelings of unworthiness and identity loss as a mother fueled her own addiction. They describe hitting rock bottom, entering detox within hours of each...

Re-release of this episode to fix audio issues

On this episode the Old Rucker sits down with guest Cheri, who shares her story of recovery, resilience, and rediscovering love and purpose after alcoholism. The episode dives into Cheri’s life her path from a turbulent childhood and early motherhood to military life, codependency, and eventual addiction. Through reflection and laughter, she describes how recovery taught her boundaries, emotional growth, and the strength to face guilt, shame, and old wounds, including reconciliation with her estranged father.

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On this episode the Old Rucker sits down with guest Cheri, who shares her story of recovery, resilience, and rediscovering love and purpose after alcoholism. The episode dives into Cheri’s life her path from a turbulent childhood and early motherhood to military life, codependency, and eventual addiction. Through reflection and laughter, she describes how recovery taught her boundaries, emotional growth, and the strength to face guilt, shame, and old wounds, including reconciliation with her estranged father.

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In this episode welcome back guest Ben Grimes, joined by tribe members Josh, Tony, Pat, and Jeremy, to put the program “The Breach” into action. The Breach is an eight-week workshop blending Shakespeare and military values to help veterans, first responders, and service-minded individuals process trauma and build resilience.

Ben’s first episode

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In this episode welcome back guest Ben Grimes, joined by tribe members Josh, Tony, Pat, and Jeremy, to put the program “The Breach” into action. The Breach is an eight-week workshop blending Shakespeare and military values to help veterans, first responders, and service-minded individuals process trauma and build resilience.

Ben’s first episode

The Old Rucker dives into the theme of “staying in your lane” reflecting on lessons from the military, scripture, and personal experience about avoiding gossip, meddling, and unsolicited advice. Through stories of misjudgments, humility, and encounters with both busybodies and bad drivers, he emphasizes the value of minding one’s own business, practicing forgiveness, and leading by quiet example rather than ego or self-righteousness. The message is clear: resist the urge to control others, let go of resentment, and focus on service, kindness, and working with your own hands to build respect and peace.

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This episode of Shout Out From the Pit spotlights Ted—a veteran, businessman, and long-time member of the recovery community—whose journey from functional alcoholism to lasting sobriety is as candid as it is inspiring. With humor, humility, and raw honesty, Ted shares stories of his upbringing, struggles with alcohol and drugs, brushes with failure, and the moment of clarity that led him to embrace recovery. Along the way, he opens up about faith, family, loss, and the practical tools that keep him grounded today, offering listeners both encouragement and hard-earned wisdom on building a life of purpose and resi...

Mark shares a decades-long arc from early drinking through retail career moves, relapse after ~14 years dry, and eventual recovery that finally stuck once he embraced sponsorship, fellowship, and daily phone accountability. A big middle chapter covers his rare neurological condition, transverse myelitis—rapid onset paralysis, long rehab, and an eventual partial recovery—used to illustrate grit, perspective, and living life in the middle, not on emotional cliffs. The round table (Sloan, Ralph, Dwight) backs him up with specific ways community, service, routine, and a personal concept of a higher power turned “no hope” into workable tools.

* updated to addre...

Interview with Don Ellis, a Pentagon staffer awarded the Medal of Valor, discusses the devastation witnessed at Ground Zero, honor the sacrifices of victims, survivors, and heroes.

Where were you on September 11, 2001?

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This episode centers on the tension and interplay between joy and grief as essential human emotions. Bob the Old Rucker explores how grief is a natural response to loss, while joy is a deeper, lasting state that often gets overlooked or dismissed, especially in tough or military-hardened mindsets. Distinguish healthy grief from destructive self-pity, contrast authentic joy with false substitutes like temporary pleasure, and gratitude as a bridge between them.

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The Tribe meets up for an open mic trivia session. Bob (“the old rucker”) is joined by Sloan, Josh, Pat, and Dwight. After opening thanks, reminders, and shoutouts, the hosts and guests dive into trivia about the history of Alcoholics Anonymous, testing each other on facts about the Big Book, its founders, and traditions, while joking about “man cards.” The conversation shifts into open-mic reflections on unspoken “rules” and suggestions of recovery, including not drinking, going to meetings, getting a sponsor, embracing service work, finding a higher power, and working the steps. Participants share personal insights on why sponsorship, fellowship...

Bob and Jeremy sit down with David, a living archive of AA history in Arkansas. From his own recovery journey to the overlooked weight of steps 6 and 7, David unpacks the origins of AA, the Oxford Group roots, and how Sterling, Harlan, and Bud kicked things off in Little Rock with the “Approach Program.” We hit the weird rules (no women, Joe McQ outside on the steps), Bill W.’s 1944 visit, and why archives matter for keeping the story straight. A mix of recovery grit, AA nerd history, and plenty of laughs about ego, humility, and the “AA police.”

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Listen in as Bob the Old Rucker, Brett, and Pat grow a closer bond with Jeremy. Jeremy is husband, father, grandfather, former marine, and a very active member in recovery. He’s respected in many circles for his recovery insight and dedication to service. 

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This is a candid, unscripted conversation between Bob and his son Mark, a licensed professional counselor, exploring overlaps and differences between therapy, counseling, and recovery work.

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Ben Grimes is a former 82nd Airborne Ranger turned professional theatre artist and founder of Riverside Actors Theatre, shares how classical theatre—especially Shakespeare’s rhythm and language—became the unexpected framework that helped him and other veterans move out of trauma. In a wide-ranging, raw conversation with Bob (“the old rucker”), RedBeard, and Pat the Marine, Ben walks through his journey from stage to combat to healing, the development of his trauma-informed ensemble work (“The Breach”), and the daily practices that keep him grounded. He also reveals the “toolbox” he lives by, the empathic power of storytelling, and his new chapter as...

In memory of Paul

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In this episode The Old Rucker interviews Lisa, who courageously shares her harrowing journey living with and eventually losing her husband Joe to pornography addiction and COVID-19 complications. Lisa recounts her early life, past marriages, and how her second marriage—while initially full of hope—slowly eroded due to Joe’s secret compulsive behaviors rooted in childhood trauma. Despite their involvement in church, marriage counseling, and recovery leadership, Joe’s addiction persisted for over 15 years, manipulating Lisa’s trust and consuming their emotional and financial lives. Lisa opens up about the psychological and spiritual toll, including feelings of worthlessness, secrecy, a...

Members of the tribe chat about having a good life in recovery:

In this roundtable episode titled “We Are Not a Glum Lot,” Bob “the Old Rucker” gathers with fellow recovery brothers Sloan, Tony, and Pat for a candid, unscripted conversation about the joy, connection, and growth found in sobriety. They reflect on the struggles of early recovery, the transformative power of showing up and embracing the program, and the deep bonds they’ve built through shared service, road trips, laughter, and vulnerability. From moving into new homes and picking up sponsees, to hilarious misadventures at Broadway plays and...

Couples in Recovery: Stephanie and Preston—Team G—sit down with Mandy and the Old Rucker to talk about the real, messy journey of getting sober and staying that way as a couple. Bob “the Old Rucker” and Mandy crack open an old recording and reintroduce Stephanie, who’s now eight years sober after losing custody of her son and bottoming out, and Preston, who spiraled hard into drinking during his military years and barely made it through withdrawal.

They each had their own wake-up call—Stephanie realizing her drinking was behind every problem in her life, Preston lear...

Republishing to correct the feed, the wrong episode got attached to the original

Charlie and Nathan sit down to share what it’s really like between a sponsor and a sponsee—pulling from their raw, personal journeys through addiction and recovery. Charlie, who’s been in this game a long time and is as real as they come, lays out why walking someone through the 12 steps matters: it’s about building a relationship with your higher power through honesty, surrender, and actually living the work. Nathan, still early in the process, opens up about the hard hits—alcohol, d...

Charlie and Nathan sit down to share what it’s really like between a sponsor and a sponsee—pulling from their raw, personal journeys through addiction and recovery. Charlie, who’s been in this game a long time and is as real as they come, lays out why walking someone through the 12 steps matters: it’s about building a relationship with your higher power through honesty, surrender, and actually living the work. Nathan, still early in the process, opens up about the hard hits—alcohol, denial, loss—and how connecting with someone like Charlie, who’s walked the walk, gave him real...

Second Chance Youth Ranch

A truly life-changing episode featuring Team Hubbard from Second Chance Youth Ranch—Billy, Rachel and their incredible kids Bronley and Brooklyn—who welcome traumatized children, keep entire sibling groups together and turn heartbreak into hope every single day; you’ll hear raw sound bites from the kids themselves, learn staggering stats (400,000 kids in foster care nationwide, 4,000 in Arkansas with fewer than 1,700 homes) and get the real deal on how you can help—from opening your home as a foster parent to joining the “Support for Foster Families” Facebook group or tossing a few bucks their way at 2CYR...

Team BS (Bob the Old Rucker and Shannon) share in Tom’s 40 plus years of sobriety and how alcohol nearly ruined his marriage, family, and United States Navy career. Because of the change he credits God for in his life, Tom dedicates his life to giving back that which was so freely given to him.

In this heartfelt and humorous episode of Shoutout From the Pit, retired Navy Commander and pastor Tom shares his powerful journey from youthful drinking and military service to hitting rock bottom and finding redemption through sobriety. With over 40 years of recovery, Tom recou...

In this episode we get to hear Melissa’s story.  Melissa shares how she overcame alcohol, food addictions, awkwardness, and injuries as a differently abled person dealing with cerebral palsy. She shares how a famous iconic figure changed her life.

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Immersion Table Jam – Immerse yourself into recovery

The Immersion Table Jam – Immerse Yourself Into Recovery discussion centers on the concept of fully committing to a recovery program and the role of spirituality in that journey. Members of the tribe share personal experiences, emphasizing that recovery isn’t just about abstaining from alcohol or drugs but rather a complete transformation of mindset and lifestyle. Brett introduces the idea of immersion by analyzing key phrases from recovery literature that reinforce the necessity of being “all in” to achieve lasting change. The discussion expands to personal revelations about the struggles and breakt...