Here we go then,
Suppose all your immediate superiors are detached, Chief, CSgt, FS, WO, et al. You happen to be the scroat back at base. The 2i/c/Boss is on leave. There are other senior people around, but due to the 'Flight' system of working on a squadron (that's Navy and RAF - not sure with Army) they do not have the JPA computer permissions to sort things for people not on their 'Flight' or whatever.
You want 2 days leave, so send an electronic request from a spare computer terminal you found loafing
Your immediate sup does not answer within 48 hours, so it gets passed to the next one. He's away, so you now get passed to next in line. He could not possibly get back to confirm your request as he is otherwise engaged somewhere else.
Can you go on leave as you want, without the electronic confirmation; or could, HERETIC, you ask nicely of the Chief, WO, Et al, down the corridor, if it would be OK?
Does the system account for line managers absence?