Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Pentagon Chief Fires Navy Secretary Over SEAL Case VOA News U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has asked Navy Secretary Richard Spencer to resign, citing his handling of the case of a Navy SEAL accused of war crimes in Iraq. Esper asked for the resignation Sunday and Spencer submitted it, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said. .