Grumble,
You don't know enough people then <g>
I was a non pointy jet tailhooker, who then flew the bird in my avatar for several years. When left active duty, the legacies were furloughing or not hiring. LCC's weren't hiring, most regionals were not hiring. The cargo dogs were not.
Pointy or not, If you wanted to stay 'in the game' to show 'committment' to the future big iron airline industry HR types, some military would accept a junior starting position at a regional. I did for 3 years before getting hired up the chop chain (and stayed mil reserve flying). You are correct, but really, many could not handle the 'status demotion'. Many couched it as 'financially a no go". I saved like crazy and most of us called the financial card a cover story for ego, or just poor planners. Many of those guys are not flying airplanes for a living anymore. Myself and other mil aviators saw the regional as any other regional pilot. A place to build 121 time with a hope to get hired somewhere else in bigger prospects that suited individual desires (Legacy/LCC/Cargo, etc). The mil experience certainly made us competitive at the regional when it was very competitive. In my current job, during the interview, the committment was noted in my career progression. It helped get me a job. Not so much for the ones who took a few years away. To each his own, but I know pointy/non pointy that went regionals.
Our friend TM just wasn't experienced enough to realize he overextended the credibilty gap long ago and likely believes his own fabrications. To bad, as many posted, no one part of his story is unbelieveable. Just the whole story in toto.