Personally, if I was in the military, having drinking problems, worried about being thrown into hazardous duties, and being in fear, my first course of actions would not be to tie a white t-shirt on my gun and defect to North Korea.

Marmot thinks a 30 day suspended sentence is OK. Infidel has a better punishment in mind. Shadow of the Olive Tree questions the timing both of his surrender and the sentencing. Personally he deserves far worse than this. Desertion is one of the worst crimes possible in the military; he potentially aided and abetted the enemy. Politically it might be difficult for the US, especially with Japan, but justice isn't about appeasing diplomatic nicities. It's about being done and being seen to be done. You do the crime, you do the time.