Bottom line, there are jobs out there, maybe not the job you want NOW, but what I call transition jobs, where you have your sights set on you dream flying gig, but go with an accpetable alternative for the short term that pays the bills and provides med insurance. Three things: there are jobs you just have to look, be patient with the long term dream job, and have a financial nestegg to ease the transition.

I 7 day opted a nuke staff job with a likely 365 after for family happiness. I was lucky and found a good job flying, paying decent wages.

The advice I continue to get solicited for from my friends in my old unit is this: decide what assignments/career path makes your family happy, and more importantly what is unacceptable(for me - sucky non-flying staff job in undesirable location, with 365 looming). By establishing this line in the sand with your family everyone knows what will happen if that turd assignment comes down. That being said I told a bud to ask the AF for exactly what he wanted, not be shy, he put in for crossflow to tankers(stating that was what he needed to stay in - that line in the sand) and got it. Great for him. The point is everyone scenario is just a little different. The AF is a great gig and if you can get bigblue to cough up what you want, which is getting harder and harder these days, then stay the hell in.

So the hard part I think, is defining what is unaccpetable to you and your family, which by the way was a family decision for me a year ago, and made the decision to punch very easy, when the AF crossed the line.

What I gave up - job security, high pay, retirement at 41 vs 60 (I got a reserve job)

What I gained - family stability(moving to my retirement city next year), kids will begin 1st grade in the same district they will graduate highschool from, piece of mind that I own my destiny(priceless), and finally, begining the second career we will all have a little earlier.

YOU ONLY GET ONE SHOT AT LIFE, ENJOY IT, BE HAPPY AND HAVE NO REGRETS