I learned a very valuable lesson in 1994 when I went to Bosnia on a White House fact finding mission. I was technically a contractor therefore not protected under the Laws of Land Warfare, not a combatant, and fell under the State Department for support since the U.S. military was not yet deployed.
In that situation, you are on your own and if you get into a gun fight or get sick, tough luck. When I got back, I decided that my days in a combat zone were over. The inability to defend myself or to be able to count on any assistance from the government that sent me there was enough to make that my last patrol.
Wise choice.
The contract is standard. . .you are operating under contract with the DoS and therefore are supposed to receive medical aide. . .you are, after all, helping the DoS. This is a standard Term and Condition of the IDIQ SS contract.
And yes, you are NOT covered by LOAC like soldiers are as you are a civilian and therefore can’t take up arms or engage in combat. . .you would them be an illegal combatant and subject to prosecution under local laws.