Appreciate the info.
I'm not super young but also not super old. 32, no kids, so embracing some suck would be doable. I'm almost exactly in the middle between Mobile and Pensacola. Base I would be looking at is IAH. Pensacola looks to have 3 flights, one mainline United, two C5, and occasionally a 4th is added in on Mesa (at least what I'm seeing on Flight Aware). There's also one Southwest flight to HOU. Mobile just has two C5 flights, and same story with Gulfport and Panama City. In your experience is that something that would be doable?
There are some other regionals in the area. Endeavor would have been a no brainer with positive space commuting, but looks like that's coming to an end soon. Envoy and PSA have a decent presence so I should probably look at them, although a buddy of mine is hearing rumblings of interviews and class dates getting pushed back at the AA W/Os for 1500 hour wonders as they try and prioritize the influx of prior 121 they're now getting.
Top tier major is the goal, although I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up at an LCC if the base fit. I also am prior mil (non-flying) so I've been attracted to some of the federal flying jobs that are out there (FAA Flight Check, etc...), but I think with any of those options 121 jet time (and PIC) is going to be the best resume booster. With that being said, I don't want to launch myself into a nearly impossible commute or absolutely zero quality of life if I don't have to.