Well, for what it's worth:
I retired after 23 years on active duty at the end of 2010.
Never flown for an airline, but have been 91/135 flying or a sim instructor most of that time.
That monthly retirement check (even AFTER the ex gets her cut) has kept me from losing my house after two job losses.
I used Tricare standard in lieu of company healthcare for 5 years in my 91 job because their small-company option was far too expensive and never paid anything anyway (I never even came close to meeting the min out of pocket expenses).
And there are just as many, if not far more a-holes, narcissitic, lying, dangerous/shady operatiors in the 91/135 corporate/fractional civilian world... Based on what I read in a lot of these threads, a lot of 121 operators aren't a rose garden either.
If it's not right for you, well, you gotta do what you gotta do. I'm just saying don't be too quick to dismiss that retirement income. A defined-benefit pension with regular COLAs (assuming you're under the High-3 plan) that can nver be taken from you is almost impossible to find anymore.
Also have a lot of friends Guard or Reserve bumming too, trying to get that good 20 in. Almost to a man, they hate it. They're all being rode hard and put away wet, then having to balance the civilian job & family with it. A few are doing as much active duty as they can trying to hit 20 on AD and get their retirement immediately. I hope they do, 'cuz I don't think they'll live to see 65...