Hello, all.
I am looking for some advice on career progression. I am currently an officer in the Air Force (Air Traffic Control and Airfield Management), and not in a pilot slot due to out-of-limits uncorrected vision (correctable to 20/20 - applied for an Exception to Policy 3 times and shot down on each one).
I've worked my way through my Commercial/Inst/ME via Part 61 on my own dime (no help from GI bill being a USAFA grad), and am working on the CFI now. However, I live in Del Rio, Texas. There is a single C-172 here, so I make the 3-hour drive to San Antonio about every weekend to build multi time in a Grumman Cougar. This is running me a good $2,000 per month and, trust me, I'm not getting paid that well. No CAP here, no aero club on base, etc. I only have about 350 hrs, 20 Multi and will be separating from the AF in 19 months. I'm wondering what the best possible options are for me in order to prep myself for a flying job when I get out without incurring more debt than I already have from flying alone. Here is my plan:
- Fly 5 hours maximum in the Cougar each month. This keeps me current without wasting tons of gas and entire weekends.
- Finish up the CFI writtens (taking FOI next week). I can do this through Gleim's program which I've been using.
- Put together my CFI lesson plans/binders and pay the $4500 for an accelerated course. I have the full-time job and not a ton of leave so I can't do the 30-day deal or I would.
- Stay current in the right seat and pick up students (there are not many here in Del Rio) where I can. There might be an instructor slot in a town an hour a way but I'd only be available nights and weekends.
- Try and save the extra money to buy a bunch of block multi time prior to getting out of the AF. This gets me my recency of experience in the last 6 months and improves my proficiency. Will be moving wherever I can get a job, but preferably Colorado (I've read the posts on Key Lime and actually considered the pft - don't think that would help the financial situation though).

Any advice on this plan or alternatives? I have been working to get to a professional flying job for nine years now and keep hitting road blocks. I'm constrained by no flight school nearby, no complex airplanes, a limited budget that's accumulating flying debt, and a full-time job. I apologize for the long post but wanted to paint the full picture concerning my dilemma. I appreciate any help - thanks!