The Department of Defense (DoD) offers the Women, Infants,
and Children (WIC) Overseas nutrition program to eligible
participants overseas. WIC Overseas is a program that provides
you and your family with several important benefits: nutritious
food that will contribute to a healthier diet; tips on how
to prepare a balanced meal; nutrition and health screening;
and access to other resources that will help you and your
family leas healthier lives.
Members of the Armed Forces, civilian employees, and DoD
contractors living overseas and their family members may be
eligible to participate in the WIC Overseas program.
Program Benefits
The program provides benefits to women during pregnancy and
after the birth of their child. Benefits may be provided to
the mother until the infant is six months old or for mothers
who are breastfeeding until the child’s first birthday.
WIC Overseas also provides nutritional benefits for children,
helping them achieve a wholesome, well-balanced diet. Eligible
children may participate up to age five.
Income and family size, as well as certain other criteria,
are considered when determining eligibility. You may also
be eligible if you have participated in the stateside WIC
program.
How It Works
The WIC Overseas program is designed to supplement the food
you regularly buy with additional nutritional food items.
Once you are a program participant, your nutrition counselor
will customize your food package to fit your family’s needs
and lifestyle. Program staff will provide ideas for meal planning,
food preparation, and recipes that are nutritious, delicious,
and easy to prepare. Your counselor will give you an approved
food list and redeemable food coupons called "drafts,"
which you exchange for specific foods and quantities in commissaries
and NEXMARTs overseas.
The following food items are generally available through
the WIC Overseas program:
- Iron-fortified infant formula and infant cereal
- Iron-fortified adult cereal
- Vitamin C-rich fruit and/or vegetable juice
- Eggs
- Milk
- Cheese
- Peanut butter
- Dried beans or peas
- Canned tunaVitamin A-rich vegetables
In addition to nutritious food and meal planning, WIC Overseas
provides nutritional screening and testing for your children.
These screenings may identify medical conditions early so
that you can seek proper medical advice for your child.
Contact your local WIC Overseas office to see if you and
your children are eligible for WIC Overseas nutritional benefits.
A WIC Overseas counselor will help you determine if you can
join the program and, if so, will help you get started.
Eligibility for WIC Overseas
Members of the Armed Forces, civilian employees, and DoD
contractors living overseas, and their family members, may
be eligible to participate in the WIC Overseas program.
The program provides benefits to women during pregnancy and
after the birth of their child. Benefits may be provided to
the mother until the infant is six months old, or, for mothers
who are breastfeeding, until the child’s first birthday.
WIC Overseas also provides nutritional benefits for children,
helping them achieve a wholesome, well-balanced diet. Eligible
children may participate up to age five.
Income and family size, as well as certain other criteria,
are considered when determining eligibility. You may also
be eligible if you have participated in the stateside WIC
program.
Contact your local WIC Overseas office to see if you and
your children are eligible for WIC Overseas nutritional benefits.
A WIC Overseas counselor will help you determine if you can
join the program and, if so, will help you get started. To
locate the nearest WIC Overseas office, contact your base
or installation information operator or visit the TRICARE
Web site at http://www.tricare.osd.mil/wic.
IFrequently Asked Questions
1. Does WIC Overseas cost me anything?
There are no enrollment fees or costs to you. The WIC Overseas
program is a DoD benefit available to those who qualify.
2. How can I find out if I qualify for the WIC Overseas program?
You should contact your local WIC Overseas office for an
appointment with a counselor who will determine your eligibility
WIC Overseas offices are listed with your base or installation
information operator or on the TRICARE Web site at http://www.tricare.osd.mil/wic.
3. Can I substitute food items if the commissary does not
have the exact item listed on my draft?
No, you cannot make any substitutions or get rain checks.
Keep your draft to use when the item is in stock. Make sure
you are aware of the expiration date on your draft.
4. Can I have someone else shop for me?
Yes, you may have a “proxy” shop for you. First you must
have your proxy formally registered with your WIC Overseas
office. Please ask your WIC Overseas counselor for the appropriate
paperwork.
5. If I am in the WIC program stateside, can I continue my
participation when I’m transferred overseas?
Yes, you can continue participation in the program without
recertification or re-enrollment. Once you have transferred
overseas, you must call your local WIC Overseas office to
make arrangements to switch to the WIC Overseas drafts. Your
participation will continue uninterrupted for the rest of
your certification period.
6. Can I use my WIC Overseas drafts in any store?
Unlike the stateside WIC program where WIC is accepted at
a variety of stores, the WIC Overseas drafts can only be used
in commissaries and NEXMARTs.
For More Information
Contact a WIC Overseas office. The telephone number is listed
with your base or installation information operator or on
the TRICARE Web site at http://www.tricare.osd.mil/wic.
| For More Information and Assistance | |
| WIC Overseas Program | www.tricare.osd.mil/wic |
| TRICARE Overseas(TRICARE Europe, TRICARE Latin America and Canada, and TRICARE Pacific) |
1-888-777-8343 http://www.tricare.osd.mil/overseas |
| TRICARE West Region Contractor | 1-888-TRIWEST http://www.triwest.com |
| TRICARE South Region Contractor | I-1800-444-5445 http://www.humana-military.com |
| TRICARE West Region Contractor |
1-888-TRIWEST (I-888-874-9378) |
| TRICARE North Region Contractor |
1-877-TRICARE (1-877-874-2273) |
| DEERS �” Verify Eligibility |
1-800-538-9552 |