Chelsea Manning and Reality Winner both accepted the consequences, by that measure. William Binney attempted to go through channels, with little success.

Snowden (veteran though acting in a civilian role) has had far more impact.

What Ellsberg and Snowden both managed to do was to make the story compelling and the information unescapable.

Consequences (your argument) or civillian status (raised elsewhere) are both exceedingly red herrings.