The EX SEALs at the ANNEX were ordered to stand down twice. They were contractors so that stand down did not apply to the military per se.
This is where a lot of the comfusion is.
Agreed on the former SEALs at the annex...
The Tripoli forces were ordered to do something other than go to Benghazi - effectively but technically not a stand- down.
For all assets outside of the country, they were denied ability to go to Benghazi through negative response. As long as there was no action taken by the President to allow them to go, they had to stay put. (also effectively a stand down, but there was no order needed.)
For out of country assets to help in Benghazi, Obama, and only Obama would have had to sign off, literally.