That was admittedly not the best or most accurate turn of phrase that I could have used. Manning was sentenced with 35 years in Leavenworth with a chance of parole after 8; I find that a completely reason punishment for a stupid, easily manipulated, ego-driven kid. Beyond that, I find the idea that completely regular, purely internal prison issues are an important concern for the greater outside world to be more than a little ridiculous.
On initial paperwork like that, one always always always lists the maximum punishment available. Anything less, and Joe is going to claim that he didn't understand exactly what he was facing. I've personally been threatened, on a piece of paper not very different than that one, with reduction of rank, forfeiture of half my pay for sixth months, and a dishonorable discharge. This was all for similar in scope to expired toothpaste offense of not vacuuming a carpet. Now, if Chelsea is actually getting thrown into solitary for an extended length of time on general offenses, I could see maybe wondering what the hell the staff at Leavenworth is doing. As is? It's just another Manning-started reminder of the gulf between the professional military culture and the general civilian one.
I'd argue that the civilian court system is not remotely suitable for trying the majority of military offenses. It's an entirely different culture, law book, standards, and circumstances. The Uniform Code of Military Justice isn't a bad bit of legal code, and the civilian side still does fun things like occasionally pass down effective death sentences for pot possession.