I got out back in 2000 (QoL) with a job offer from UAL... got furloughed in 2002... came back on AD... and now will stay until 20 years. Having a 20 year retirement is a nice thing to have in your hip pocket. IF the airlines (majors) were hiring i would recommend cutting and running NOW... but since they are not, i would recommend staying in for 20... or however many years you can stomach. When you cannot stand what you are doing its time to leave. I have always liked the AF... and enjoyed my squadrons... just the OPTEMPO was killing the family life... now its worse!

I would not bank on contractor jobs being around in the very near future (sometime before this FY 09 ends). Word on the street (HAF level) is that GWOT money (funds most contractor jobs) is going away... and with it will be thousands of contracting jobs. I think the money pot at the end of the rainbow is going to go away with the election.

Good luck on whatever decison you make... its a difficult one.

Cheers,