If you like driving airplanes, the airlines are a great way to go. While its not the exciting flying that you're accustomed to, you will get 80 hours a month, and won't have to sleep in a crappy rack at the end of the day. You'll work 4 days a week, rather than 6. And your ground job..oh yeah, you don't have one.
Job security can come in many forms: a reserve job, a side business, a wife with a career. A major airline schedule will give you enough free time and flexibility do something on the side. You may never need to fall back on plan B, but knowing that it's there brings peace of mind.
I enjoyed my time in the Navy ('81-'87), but it's only a slight exaggeration for me to say that my best day in the Navy and my worst day at Delta were about the same.