State WIC agencies would give qualifying service members certification cards

State WIC agencies would issue a Verification of Certification card when they certify or recertify a covered service member. It covers a service member in an initial enlistment, at E-4 or below, or with less than 10 years of service at E-5 or E-6. The rule applies at certification or recertification. It is not limited to current WIC participants or people making a permanent station move.

State WIC agencies would presume certain military families eligible during a permanent station move and issue them certification cards. The service member must be in an initial enlistment, at E-4 or below, or under 10 years at E-5 or E-6; the protection also covers participating family members. The move protection applies only when the covered service member already participates in WIC and is making a permanent station move. Federal transfer-of-certification requirements would apply to every WIC participant in a family with a covered service member. The protection would run from the first day of the station move through the end of the certification period containing that day.

The Defense Department would notify covered enlisted members that they may qualify for WIC. It covers enlisted members in an initial enlistment, at E-4 or below, or with less than 10 years of service at E-5 or E-6. The member must be making a permanent station move and must be pregnant, have a pregnant spouse, or have at least one dependent under age 5. When practical, notice would arrive no later than 30 days before the member’s required report date, or as soon as practical after station-move orders are issued.

The Defense Department would place military personnel at every installation to provide service members with WIC information. The staffing requirement would apply to every military installation. The Defense Secretary would decide which military personnel are appropriate for this work. The information would cover the eligibility notice and the referenced WIC reassessment requirement. The Defense Department would have 180 days after enactment to establish staffing of at least three days per week.