If the office of the President is not at the top of our chain of command, why did they have us memorize the entire chain while I was in basic training...all military orders run down the chain of command...also it is emphasized that an “unlawful order not only should not, but MUST not be followed”
It is at the top - nobody said otherwise. What was said was not about who is or is not the supreme military commander of US forces.
What was connoted is that the disobeyed order in question may not have come from Zero but instead Lakin's CO.
“If the office of the President is not at the top of our chain of command, why did they have us memorize the entire chain while I was in basic training...all military orders run down the chain of command...also it is emphasized that an “unlawful order not only should not, but MUST not be followed””
Thank you for reminding me. When I went throught Navy Basic training in August 1972 I had to know the chain of command all the way from the Chief over me to President Nixon...with the CNO ADM Aumwalt, SECNAV, and SECDEF in there.