OP Quote: "Let’s see, work all month 5 on / 2 off for a max of 8 days off each month? Airlines guarantee 13+ days off each month. OAM is going to making you do LEAP standby on your days off (illegal) and then you can’t be unavailable."
I drank the same Koolaid. Of those 13+ days off per month, plan on spending your day off commuting home and a day off commuting back to work. Then there are the times where you are involuntarily extended and lets not forget the winter cancellations and you are stuck in your base. Those 13+ days quickly dwindle down to 4 days, but at least its not all the time. There is no consistency and your body pays the price for that. Many rotor transition guys figured this out pretty quick and bailed. If you live in base, that takes some of the pain away, but it's still pain. I'll take an underpaid government job any day over flying for a regional.