John Weber, a partner in Baker Hostetler's Washington, D.C., office and head of the firm's Intellectual Property, Technology and Media Group, was recently recognized for his contribution to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) which funded the renovation and expansion of an elementary school in Trieu An Commune, Vietnam. The existing school was not large enough to accommodate all of the students at one time, so a split school day had to be instituted. Also, the road leading to the school often flooded during rainy season, making it dangerous and nearly impossible for the students to attend. In addition, the building itself was aging and in need of repair.
Weber, who served in the U.S. Army infantry from 1968 to 1970 and was awarded the Purple Heart and Combat Infantryman's Badge, was one of the six American veterans, all of whom served in the Vietnam War, who funded the VVMF project. Established in 1979, the VVMF is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., promoting healing and educating about the impact of the Vietnam War.