If she went up the chain (all the way, to include the CINC), and if she went the IG route, then she could have gone the congressional route. She chose not to. She chose to by-pass the processes and procedures in place and jump right into the public arena.
That is wrong.
Taking her argument public rather than exhausting the chain-of-command
Evidently the Commandant was in on this thing from the get go.
http://www.militarytimes.com/article/20140406/CAREERS03/304060022/2nd-lt-s-daring-infantry-op-ed