"Following the Goldwater–Nichols Act in 1986, the Joint Chiefs of Staff
do not have operational command authority, either individually or collectively, as the chain of command goes from the president to the secretary of defense, and from the secretary to the regional combatant commanders. Goldwater–Nichols also created the office of vice chairman, and the chairman is now designated as the principal military adviser to the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the president."
Joint Chiefs of Staff
And of course, now we know that Special Ops will be reporting Directly to the Sec. of Defense as of November this year.