Axiom Supports Tricare WIC-Overseas
January 14, 2003
Falls Church, Virginia. In the closing weeks of 2002, the Pentagon completed a two-year effort to launch a nutritional supplement and education program to help military families meet the often unaffordable costs of living at overseas duty stations. The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Overseas initiative is a nutritional safety net for military families stationed abroad and is implemented by TRICARE, the Defense Department's program providing healthcare to 8.7 million military personnel, retirees, and family members. Axiom is proud to support this important program.
WIC Overseas offers military families with children under age 5 and expectant or nursing mothers important information and training on their children's nutritional requirements. It provides nutrition education both in person and on-line. Those determined to be at "nutritional risk" are entitled to WIC Overseas drafts redeemable at military commissaries for infant formula, milk, cereals, and other dietary staples.
"Military families, especially at the junior ranks, are often at their first overseas assignment and face costs of living they just cannot afford," said Axiom President Ben Hankins. "This program offers these families the help they need to provide a healthy diet."
The program's implementation was completed earlier this month with the opening of the Darmstadt Germany WIC Overseas office, the 52nd site to be opened in the past 23 months. The program, operating in 12 countries and serving 170 installations has provided benefits to 119,217 military personnel and children; approximately 24,500 will receive benefits in any given month.
The intensive effort to develop the WIC Overseas initiative, modeled on the domestic WIC program, was accomplished by TRICARE's Program Management Directorate. Axiom staff experts supported the initiative, including its early design, prototype testing, marketing, and deployment. "This is a real TRICARE success story," Doug Peardon, Axiom executive vice-president said. "To get a global program up and running in less than two years is an impressive feat. We're proud of the WIC Overseas program and proud to have been a part of that effort."
WIC Overseas has already distributed drafts worth nearly $9.2 million, but program supporters observe it will save TRICARE much more than this in future healthcare costs. "This program encourages and helps families to eat healthier and spend less of their limited income on food," said Dave Maurer, Axiom's staff leader who supported the Program Management initiative along with Maura Brady. "WIC Overseas provides a healthy diet, nutrition education and adds to the peace of mind that young military families, often far from home for the first time, need and deserve."
Axiom Resource Management, Inc. is headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia with branch offices throughout the country.
For Further Information Contact Frank Cumberland, 703-998-0327.