[Outsourced support civilians in Iraq] "Why am I under workers' comp if workers' comp does not recognize a combat injury?"

Service Civilians and the Wounds of War | Many Fill Vital Roles in Iraq, but Medical Care Can Be Spotty | By Ann Scott Tyson | Washington Post Staff Writer | Wednesday, July 25, 2007; Page A01
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Nevertheless, his status as an Army civilian would leave him stranded in the aftermath of the June 16, 2004, attack, when the bomb hit his Humvee so hard it blew his M-60 off its turret.

In the months that followed, Helms recalled, he was denied vital care for his wounds -- ranging from shrapnel in his left arm to traumatic brain injury. Forced to rely on federal workers' compensation and turned away from regular care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and other military hospitals, Helms has faced years of frustration grappling with bureaucracies unprepared to help a government civilian wounded in combat.

"I did not have an 'accident' while working. I was subjected to an offensive attack by an enemy of the U.S. government who attempted to kill me," said Helms, now a counterintelligence agent at the 902nd's Fort Knox, Ky., field office. "Why am I under workers' comp if workers' comp does not recognize a combat injury?" ...