After getting political pushback from at least two lawmakers, Navy officials reversed a decision that would have ended WIC service at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.
Instead, the Department of the Navy is offering the WIC office a five-year license that allows the organization to stay onsite with few costs.
“We are very happy with the response,” said Wende Dolstad, the base WIC coordinator.
Navy families have accessed the Women Infants and Children’s program on the Seaplane Base for years.
Most junior enlisted families make so little money they qualify for the program, which offers supplemental foods, health care referrals and nutrition education for pregnant women, infants and children up to age 5.
That service was threatened last year when federal officials decided to stop allowing “non-federal entities” to use buildings on bases rent-free. That included the WIC office on base, which is administered by the nonprofit Community Action of Skagit.
That got the attention of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Rick Larsen, who wrote letters to higher-ups, including Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter.
Larsen said he’s glad the Navy came to a “common sense decision.”
“Those who sacrifice for our country should not have to worry about whether they can afford their next meal,” he said.
Under the terms of the license, the nonprofit will pay for utilities, cleaning and other operating costs to run the office, Dolstad said.
Not all the details are worked out, but Dolstad said she expects those expenses are something the nonprofit can afford.
Another WIC office operated by Island County serves around 1,000 clients in Oak Harbor, South Whidbey and Camano Island. It’s not easy for the civilian offices to absorb the base office’s nearly 700 clients.
Also, Dolstad noted as many as a third of her Navy clients indicated in a survey they would probably not use the WIC office off base.
“The general feeling was that they would accept the support since it was endorsed by the Navy and on the base, but would not seek the support off base,” she said. “There is a difference psychologically in accepting support from a base support service and looking to the civilian community for a similar program.”
“People simply have a hesitation to reach out, regardless of need.”
Navy families have different needs than their civilian counterparts, she said.
Dolstad praised the support she received from the Island County Health Department.
“They have steadfastly supported doing whatever was in the best interest for the health and well being of Navy families and spent time on contingency planning in case the office eventually had to be closed,” she said.
