Luke,
If you want to be an active component USAF pilot. Do not enlist!!!!!!!!!!
First, you need to talk to everyone (USAFR/ANG/Navy /Marines). If nothing else, it provides: 1. Knowledge that serves in many ways. 2. As a comparison. 3. As a potential flying opportunity that pans out.
Your recruiters are not serving you, they are serving themselves. All to common and I have no complaints against recruiters. Tough job they have. They are very nice people whose job is to fill slots with people who are not committed to being a pilot.<g>

IMO, USAF has the appearance of the more stable family life, etc. With the Global War on Terror (GWOT), all pilots are in the wringer. You will be gone alot deployed. It may be a ship or some place on land, but deployed nonetheless. We all share sacrifices and unique joys in our specific services. We also all have some cherry locations and all of us have some real dumps<g>
Plan on getting a dump and you and the future spouse will be prepared or much happier if you don't stay in the dumps to long.<g> Even in the less desirable places you will find the same great people which is the real draw for most of us once in the track. All services have tremendous people and again, recommend you talk to all.
With respect to active or guard/reserve, talk to your F-16 uncle, he will have some strong opinions, also, he may have some current serving buds you can talk about current events. If nearby, talk to some Guard/Reserve pilots and get their inputs on the ground where they serve.
Take comfort in that almost everyone one of us has similiar tales of curves and bends in the road to get to our coveted wings. This knowledge helped me get through my own journey when I went through the challenges of getting into the ranks of a military pilot (Naval Aviator who had orders to UPT cancelled for medical disqualification on pre commissioning physical, an auto accident made USAF doctors say no)
Happy to PM assistance if you need after you get requisite posts.

Lastly, will pull out one of my favorite quotes from Calvin Coolidge:
"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. "