WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Rapids Fire Chief Mitch Waite is to be mobilized later this year as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve and deployed to Iraq.

The 50-year-old lieutenant colonel is with the 416th Theater Engineer Command out of Darien, Illinois.

He is scheduled to be activated in November and deployed to Iraq in December, leaving for about 400 days.

Waite says he's been preparing Deputy Fire Chief Dave Kerkman to take over the department during his absence.

His unit is to work to build infrastructure systems, such as sewer and water lines, in Iraq.

Waite is also to visit with firefighting units in Iraq to determine what support they need to better do their jobs.