Gordon England Resigns as Navy Secretary

Acting Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England has relinquished his post as secretary of the Navy, Defense Department officials announced Dec. 29. He will continue to serve as acting deputy secretary of defense, officials said. England has served as Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's deputy since May, when former Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz left the Pentagon to head up the World Bank. Over two terms as Navy secretary, England served a total of 48 months. His terms were separated by his service as the first deputy secretary of the Homeland Security Department. For the past eight months, he has served in both the Navy post and as acting deputy secretary of defense. Navy Undersecretary Dionel M. Aviles will serve as acting Navy secretary effective today. The Navy will begin 2006 with a new leader, as former Northrop Grumman Corp. executive Donald C. Winter becomes the 74th secretary of the Navy, the Defense Department announced Thursday.