I am retiring as well from AD and New to forums but have to agree with prior post in current environment. My main data point is a friend who retired last year and was current in fighters. He finally took a regional job after 6 months of waiting for the dream job that is still out there in that ether called the pilot shortage. Things should change but timing in the big unknown. Another person I know in the airlift business made it to SWA interview but was told he didn't have enough recent time. There are govt contract flying jobs that are 2 or 3 months on/off in remote locations that pay over 100k a year that look for fighter pilots. Not sure how much recency matters to them. But you could pay the bills and get some hours and then see if the shortage really comes. But many of these companies feed mainly from recommendations of current employees. Again just a newbie opinion.