The POTUS and the Sec. Def. were watching it in the WH sit-room. Why would anyone need to make a request for help?
Fact One:
1) Only the POTUS can authorize a CBA (cross border authority) command for a rescue mission in a foreign nation.
Plus Fact Two:
2) No rescue mission was attempted.
Equals Fact Three:
3) 0bama turned his back on 41 State Dept. and CIA employees refusing to issue a CBA command and went to bed so he could go to Las Vegas the next day.
All that is true but not on point.
The point is that the CIA acting director was likely correct when he said CIA did not request help from DOD. That was the discussion. He made a point that is probably both correct and CYA
As you noted, he did not need to make the request to DOD