I left active duty with just after 12 years in after a 3 year stint non flying. Had I stayed in a flying tour next would have been a dice roll, at best and my previous tours non flying left me feeling professionally empty. I didn't feel I was bringing any contribution to the billets that any mouth breather with a commission couldn't handle doing so I looked for something else to do.

Regionals were paying about $17k-$25k/ year when I went job hunting and I decided I didn't want to have to foreclose on my house, have my car repo'd, put my dog down and move into my parents basement to survive off that pay so I went the ISR route. Money and hours are great. Downrange is meh, but the off time is 100% my own and I have zero ground Job/ collateral duties that I do outside of flying. The only part of the job that absolutely sucks is the taxes, and making too much money to take advantage of many tax breaks (terrible problem to have) that you have elsewhere.

If I had to do it all over again the only thing I would have changed was resigning and getting out the very first day I was able to.

In your case, I'd get out the first day I could and go to the regionals (unless you need the money and are willing to risk not getting called by the majors for a longer period of time). Pick one with a base where you're happy living and a quick upgrade program. If you think you'll really miss mother blue associate with a guard or reserve unit early. It gets harder to stomach the idea of going back to AD style bull**** each additional day you spend away from it.