US Acting Army Secretary Les Brownlee submitted his resignation Wednesday, the Pentagon announced.
The resignation would become effective on Dec. 3, 2004, the Pentagon said in a brief statement, which gave no reason for Brownlee's resignation.
Brownlee served as under secretary of the Army from November 2001 to May 2003, when he began to assume the duties as the Army's acting secretary.
The Senate confirmed defense industry executive Francis J. Harvey as secretary of the Army on Tuesday, to replace Thomas White, who was dismissed by Rumsfeld in May 2003.
In the statement, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld expressed appreciation to Brownlee for his service. "He will have completed more than four decades of service to our country. I appreciate his service and wish him all the best," Rumsfeld said.
On Tuesday, Air Force Secretary James G. Roche submitted his resignation, and planned to step down on Jan. 20, 2005, or sooner if a successor was confirmed by the Senate before then.