The homeless veteran
• July 4, 2008
Robert Hewitt, homeless veteran of the Vietnam War, lived a meager existence as a panhandler. Identified this week, his skeletal remains were discovered June 12 sticking out of a root cellar behind a shopping center off Route 59 in Montebello. The cause of his death, at 51, has yet to be determined, although the Rockland County medical examiner has ruled out homicide. His story, while clouded in the unknown, joins the growing lore about returning veterans who deserve more help than they ever get.
Hewitt, who was born in Sloatsburg, had been homeless and living outdoors, probably for the past 15 years, according to police. Too many of his wartime contemporaries continue to suffer the same fate. Recent conflicts add fresh tragedy to the mix. Repeated tours of duty, a military heavily reliant on reservists - they often lack the day-to-day support others receive -are among the factors experts say are contributing to a fresh onslaught of veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
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