Originally Posted by
FlyFastLiveSlow
They're hiring you to fly airplanes. Staff work, snappy PowerPoint slides, and PME gets you promoted. Spin it to your advantage. "I prefer the rewards and challenges that come with flying over non-flying jobs."
This. The fast-track jobs would have left you non-current or under-qualified for the airlines.
Definitely stay in for the separation pay, you'd be nuts not to unless you get an immediate offer from say FDX...in that case $100K would not be such a big deal.
A typical winged aviator who was passed over for O-4 is still, on average, going to be a better all-around person than the typical regional pilot.
Caveat, there may be a few airlines who will get wrapped up in military career progression, but most won't be too concerned about this.