I just read the article you stated, a couple of things popped up into my mind.
1. She will have 30 yrs in come May 2013, and it is typical to give punch at the 1 yr prior marker.
2. At the 30 yr marker she is basically at the max retirement pay of 75% base. If 2nd career employers are knocking at her door, it makes sense to retire...see my earlier comment about this is very common place at higher ranks. They typically have their job in place before they punch.
3. Ads are going to be run shortly on the military boards.
~~~ I have to laugh at that because typically they already know who they want, that person has been offered the position (conditionally), the ads are just to show the illusion that they didn't handpick the next person, but honestly it is rare, rare, rare, did I say rare enough because that is the system. It is called BNR...By Name Request. You don't apply for these positions off of advertised postings, you are requested to put your name in the pile.
I am also with LITS, I didn't see it at all as a hit piece, but maybe I am not reading the same piece.
The piece I read was
http://www.gazette.com/articles/academy-147038-dean-faculty.html
I also think it is a smart decision to go this route with a civilian. The reason why is two fold:
1. It gives the AFA a great way to transition the Supe. At the Pentagon, they do exactly that, and for that reason. A civilian will be there for yrs, PCSing is not a factor as it would be if both the Supe and the Dean were ADAF
2. Gone are the days that all of the Profs are ADAF. There are many civilians, and with that fact it allows them to be a liaison between ADAF and the GS staff.
Just my silly, irrational, non-ADAF perspective. Feel free to flame me.
Edit:
MEA CULPA I read the Gazette, not the Independent because when I googled CS AFA, the Gazette popped up, not the Independent. My polish pea brain went off of that since I didn't see you linking the article in your post.