I've always found this very interesting. I think you'll find that those who are commanding KC-30's and similar sized jets, flying in some pretty "interesting parts" of the world, staying in usually worse accommodation and for months at a time are earning considerably less than their commercial counterparts.
I don't think it was implied they were. They do however earn whatever their employment contract that they agreed to sign says they earn. If it is not sufficient, or comes with some other unsavoury conditions, then they are free to leave as soon as their contract expires, which the vast majority seem to do.