You do understand that SecDef statutorily answers to the POTUS?? I'm not the one who need to have things 'sink in.'
I don't care if he answers to the Easter Bunny. The Secretary of Defense has statutory authority to issue operational orders to the UCC. Who the president is, what defects he may or may not suffer as an office holder are all wholly irrelevant to the orders of SecDef.
I know, you either can't grasp this, or you don't care. But please, don't bother me with your ignorance any longer. I haven't the time nor patient to endure the stupidity.