Ideal

Right.

So I've been trying to work out how to write this and not be totally and terminally boring. I was going to do a nice flow chart complete with little colored boxes and arrows and everything. But for now we'll just talk through it.

So, here, highly simplified, is what is supposed to happen:

War (okay, war isn't supposed to happen, but that's where it all starts so...)

Which produces needs - things that the military either can't do or really shouldn't do as it is outside their core purpose.

Which leads some bright button to call for contract bids.

At which point the responsible person ensures that the bidding contractors are competent to do the job and, here's the clever bit, have insurance. Because, per that tricksy little Defense Base Act, IT'S THE LAW.

Once the contracting company has been thoroughly vetted the contract is given and individuals hired and, here's another clever bit (in an ideal world) THEY ARE GIVEN INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSURANCE AND THEIR RIGHTS.

So. Unfortunately this is where disaster happens and our poor contractor is injured, killed or, just possibly, missing.

As soon as this is reported either the contractor or the family is contacted (as is the insurance company) and some kind soul is assigned to walk them through the unfortunately complicated process of filing a claim.

Like telling them what form to use, who to talk to, how to provide supporting documents - all that stuff.

They might even, you know, ideally, keep track of the progress of the claim as it swims through the murky waters of government agencies - even protecting it from the voracious insurance sharks.

If I were really dreaming I'd even like to think there would be a timeline involved so that the claim would be acted on in less than, say, six years.

You know,

Ideally.