CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — For about seven months, the doors to VFW Post 3837 have been closed off to the public.
District Commander Henry Escobedo said when any VFW canteens are closed to the community, local veterans are the ones who feel it more than anyone.
"All the money that we get in, 80-percent of it goes back to the community. It goes back to our veterans," said Escobedo.
Since the very beginning, the VFW has always been a second home to the ones who put their lives on the line for our freedom in America; a place to listen and be heard.
"We didn't all get shot at, but we were there. We didn't all shoot somebody, but we were there. If one felt pain, we all felt pain," said Thomas Trevino, VFW 3837 Post Commander.
But with the coronavirus pandemic and the closure of this post, the feeling of isolation has overpowered many of these veterans.
"We back to the old feeling that I had before I joined when I was a loner and depressed; I didn't socialize," Trevino added.
Even though there's texting and calling, it's not the same.
"I see the words, but I don't see your eyes. I need to see the expression in your eyes, and your body language that way I can feel it," said Trevino.
For these war veterans, if Nueces County allows bars to open, it would be like a breath of fresh air. Being among brothers and sisters, once again, like old times, but with social distance and a face mask.
"You know you got a comrade here. You know tomorrow he'll be here," Trevino added.
Nueces County has not yet confirmed if bars can open just yet.