I'll add my experience, since I faced a similar decision and made the civilian choice.
I graduated from college in 07 and at the time guys were getting picked up by regionals with 500 hours or so. I decided not to pursue military even though it was something I wanted. 10 years seemed like a long time to me when I was 20. It's not.
In a year I got all my ratings and a few hundred hours of instruction and had two interviews scheduled. Comair and eagle. They both called in the summer of 08 and cancelled the interviews. I spent the next 2 years being a cfi/cfii/mei until a bottom tier turboprop operator called me in 2010. I had 1700tt, 500ME. You'll need at least 1500 now with the new rules.
I spent about two years as an FO and caught a windfall upgrade when companies were merging. While I was in the sim doing my check ride, the company announced bankruptcy and parking my aircraft. I somehow managed to trade that for a direct entry captain spot at another bottom tier turboprop operator on the same plane.
So it's been about six years since I was where you are. I've worked steadily but didn't give up time with family for tons of flying time. 3000tt and 300 turbine pic. It will probably be 2 more years to get to 1000 turbine pic and be competitive ish. I still have no jet time. My w2s have been 24, 25, 19, 33, 40, and 40.
If I had gotten on with Comair I would have been laid off too, eagle I would still be an FO. I have many friends that have been doing it longer with less to show for it, I've been pretty lucky. If I had to do it again, I would pursue military. The air force and navy officers that I've had the pleasure of knowing and working with are some of the finest individuals I've ever met.
It could easily take 10 years of instructing/regional slogging to get your "dream job". Average age hired at a major is 34. I don't think you'll look back and say "I wish I had flown a turboprop/rj to little towns for pennies in my twenties". You might look back and think "why didn't I give military a shot when I could have."