Given your situation I'd go active duty, do your time, then get into the ARNG and go back to commercial flying. There were a couple guys flying helicopters in my old Medevac unit that flew for a major airline as well...best of both worlds! Flying helicopters in the ARNG was a blast and I miss it at times.

- 8 years ARNG (4 as a Medevac pilot)
- 12 years active AF
- going on a year in the AF Reserves