It'll take many years to reach parity paywise. Unless it's totally unbearable, a military retirement in your back pocket is a really nice thing to have in your back pocket ... especially in this industry. Who would have thought that you could finish a military career and still get on with the airlines - but today it's a relatively common thing. The retired military medical benefits will be a big benny down the road, not to mention the COLA adjusted retirement pay. I fly with guys all the time who admit that they wish they'd stuck it out.