JDFly,

Speaking as a guy who quit the Army 3 times (1. Regular Army - 1992; 2. AGR - 2000; 3. USAR Mobilization - 2008), spent the intervening years at the airlines, and later got recalled for 3 years to round out a 20 year active duty retirement: my military retirement is much better than anything any of the airlines are offering. Health benefits, alone, allow you to take the job that offers the most cash without regard to insurance programs. If you get a good job, even at a regional airline, you can be comfortable. Then you can investigate all the ways to invest and save for your final retirement, or even plan a career after 65 doing something you can give your passion to, like starting a business (it's a lot more stress free with a monthly income for a safety net). I don't recommend counting on the Air Force to take you back as many times as I quit.

As a side note: I am glad my airline didn't have a defined benefit plan (although we campaigned hard to get one). The Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation eventually took all of those over, and pays pennies on the dollar. Better to have an account that belongs to you. If the company provides a match, it's usually worthwhile to participate in their program, otherwise, there is a bunch of folks out there who can help you plan for your retirement. Good luck.