More than a meeting place: VFW halls remain a lifeline for local veterans

More than 80 years after they were established, Veterans of Foreign Wars halls preserve veterans’ stories, while connecting generations of those who served.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — More than 80 years after a wave of Veterans of Foreign Wars halls were established across South Texas following World War II, local veterans say those spaces remain an important source of support, connection and tradition.

At VFW Post 8932 in Flour Bluff, members say the hall continues to bring together veterans from different generations and backgrounds while preserving the stories of those who served.

Jim Bob Sullivan, a former quartermaster at the post, spent his military career working on submarines in the U.S. Navy. After serving as the post’s quartermaster for the past two years, he said his role changed, but the mission of serving fellow veterans remained the same.

“In the Navy they’re the ones that steer the ship. Here the quartermaster is the one that pays the bills,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan said one of the hall’s greatest strengths is the community it creates.

“There’s all walks of life, you know, people from all over the country, the world,” Sullivan said.

He said the post gives veterans a place to connect with others who understand the challenges of military service and life afterward.

“You’re not the only one that’s gone down that, you know, down that road so you know there’s always somebody who’s been there, somebody who’s done it,” Sullivan said.

Cristi Even, a veteran and former senior chief in the U.S. Navy, said attracting younger veterans to organizations like the VFW is essential to ensuring they receive support while preserving the organization’s legacy.

“It’s really important for our community, for our veterans in our community, all the veterans, like the homeless veterans, the younger groups and stuff like that, to get involved,” Even said.

She also said conversations with other veterans help preserve military history and pass it on to future generations.

“The ones that were around for the Vietnam Wars and the older veterans. I think those are the best ones to talk to, because you can hear those stories, you can retell those stories to other people that are your age, my age, whatever, and then they can carry on in some kind of way,” Even said.

Martin Longoria, commander of VFW Post 8932, is a key part of that work.

“We’re the ones that have to carry those traditions with the ceremonies, the recognition, because if we don’t do it, no one else will. History will forget us,” Longoria said.

Now Longoria is encouraging service members making the transition back home to get involved.

“You have a lot of these younger veterans that have left service. A lot of them are going to school, raising a family, working, so it makes it very difficult for them to participate,” Longoria said. “The main thing is we’re here for them.”

For Sullivan, the message to veterans who have not yet connected with a local VFW post is simple.

“There’s help out there. You just have to come forward,” Sullivan said.