re: #188 AlexRogan

One thing that a bunch of people are overlooking in regards to Manning’s punishment: his dishonorable discharge.

That’ll follow him for the rest of his life; he gets no veteran’s benefits (except for some VA medical services for injuries sustained in service, IIRC) and a lot of private employers won’t even entertain an application or resume from someone with a dishonorable discharge.

Right or wrong, that’s how it is.

For all practical purposes, after a dishonorable discharge you aren’t a citizen any more. You can’t vote, you can’t be elected, you can’t own a firearm, etc. You have fewer rights than most prisoners and almost no way of changing that condition.