I’ll echo…If you have an eye on getting a reserve pilot spot, do it. Most of our bitterness comes from years of poor work/life balance, office politics, and pay that is not competitive with civilian jobs. Frankly, pay is not a very big worry, but it’s what many focus on. It’s the soul crushing work tempo, and the bureaucracy. 121 seems like a great place to escape much of it.

Also, literally (yes, literally in the literal sense) every one of my friends who left active duty without an active duty retirement got picked up by the Guard or Reserve. They love it.

I retired, but I think going to a Guard unit to fly almost anything would be a hoot.