Honoring Vietnam vets top priority for FSU

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – In the 1960s and '70s Florida State University was leading the charge in the south against the Vietnam War. Now, honoring those that served has become one of the school's top priorities.

Florida is home to the third-highest population of veterans in the country, including more than 500,000 Vietnam-era vets.

Marty and Jan Roberts know how special Veterans Day is. Two of their children are active military.

"It's just bravery I can't imagine, and it gets you emotional," Jan said of her two children. "As an American and as a parent, I'm just so proud of them."

The appreciation for those who serve wasn't always there. Just ask Vietnam veteran Joe West.

"We were not well liked," he said. "Most Vietnam vets wouldn't even acknowledge that they were Vietnam vets. If you filled out a job application you just put down that you were doing something else."

Student protests put FSU at the forefront of the anti-war movement in the south during the 1960s and '70s. The mood has completely changed some 50 years later.

Once called "the Berkeley of the South," FSU is far from that today, where their film festival will be honoring those who served in Vietnam.

A critically acclaimed movie, "Last Days in Vietnam," will headline the school's program, honoring Vietnam veterans. The film was directed by Sen. Robert Kennedy's daughter, Rory. 

"Whether somebody has an opinion about the war, that we shouldn't be there or whatever, I think we all appreciate the role that the military plays, and the role that the veterans play," Kennedy said.

For West, for the Roberts family, for countless other veterans and some who have made the ultimate sacrifice, a little appreciation goes a long way.