A Defense Base Act claimant injured his ankle when he jumped a few inches from a helicopter to the ground below.  The injury occurred at Abu Ghraib prison when, in accordance with custom, the helicopter in which he was traveling “landed” at the prison by hovering a few inches above the ground.  As the helicopter hovered, the occupants exited the aircraft by jumping down to the gravel-covered ground below.  Once all occupants were removed, the helicopter took off again.  This “landing” procedure was commonplace at Abu Ghraib because of the threat of enemy fire. The issue is whether Claimant’s ankle injury was caused by a “war-risk hazard.”  The answer is, “Yes,” because the injured worker suffered injuries as a direct result of the operation of an aircraft engaged in war activities operating in a zone of hostility. Under the War Hazards Compensation Act, a “war-risk hazard” includes “any hazard arising during a warRead more