It was not kept quiet. There is only so much the active duty personnel can do from inside. This was highly compartmentalized. Everyone thought the survey would have sealed the deal and kept them out. They cheated on the survey. They sent it mostly to Reserve and Guard units and also spouses of active duty. Not everyone received a survey.
I heard a bunch of high rankers were put to pasture. For myself, not in the system, I didn’t hear a word about this ‘either-or’ choice until today. The ones who retired just quietly went away, it seems.