Hatton's mayor deployed to Iraq Eds: APNewsNow.

HATTON, N.D. (AP) Hatton Mayor Stuart Letcher has been deployed to Iraq.

Letcher has been Hatton's mayor since 2006, and a member of the Army Reserve since 1986. He's a warrant officer with the Minnesota-based 847th Human Resources Co., which will be dealing with contracts in Iraq.

Letcher will be in Iraq for about a year. It is his second deployment. His wife, Sigrid, said his earlier deployment, to Bosnia, was not as long.

Sigrid Letcher said her husband is training at Fort McCoy, Wis., before leaving for Iraq on Oct. 26. The couple have a 3 1/2-year-old daughter.

Sigrid Letcher said her family has relatives just three hours away and an "amazing group of friends" in Hatton for support.

Bernie Johnson will serve as mayor while Letcher is deployed.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 10-17-09 0630CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list