Would agree with just about everything in this post. I retired early this year with 2 years out of the cockpit and the phone never rang. Been flying the line at a regional since June and the phone is already ringing. What I would offer from my minimal but recent experience is first year at an airline is very tough schedule-wise. I've been told this is the case up and down the industry. If you sell your soul to fly weekends as you wrap your mil career so as to get 100hrs of recentcy your family may jettison you by the time you get past your first year in an airline (that would be 3 years without you if my math is correct). If you don't have a family you may have some challenges showing you're a balanced person in an interview if you've done nothing but work...There is a threat that might come thru and alter the perception you want to portray to a potential employer that wants to see the 'whole-person' that will greet customers at the end of the jetway.
Being a member of the military post graduate system/check of the month club will put you ahead of your peers financially and can help make the ends meet but with a little less overlap than you're accustomed to. Regional training was more demanding than I originally thought but have found the challenge enjoyable...especially after a staff job where I didn't fly.
This is my $.02 but I would focus on your command as your subordinates depend on you to be there 24-7/365 for all the messy command level issues you will face along with the extracurriculars expected of a commander. Sprint across the finish line in full stride. Spend your free time laying out your exit strategy that will bring to bear the strength of your military career. Throw the apps out a year plus prior and watch the bobbers till you're 3 months out and if the phone hasn't rung have a back up plan to freshen up your resume somehow. Again, 121 time seems to be the elixir to the lack of recentcy but there are other options that seem to work as well.
Good luck and congrats on command