As FH-1100 correctly notes.....Hover Checks were very much SOP and practiced by US Army Aviators in all helicopters.
One caveat is that at times we picked up to a hover, completed the hover check to include noting Hover Power required (and what margins if any remained), and oft times landed back and then did a takeoff from the ground.
We did Instrument Take Offs from the Ground after doing a hover power check to calculate the Take Off Power setting as we assumed all takeoffs would be done in Zero/Zero conditions due to dust/fog or other restriction to visibility.
Carrying sling loads also included a hover check prior to starting the take off although at times the load might be allowed to touch the ground then the takeoff commenced with a vertical climb for a bit of height before translating to forward flight.
Simple thinking really....if it won't hover or will not handle right....no sense finding out when there is not much you can do to recover the situation.