It's a lovely sentiment, and I'm sure we'd all love to believe that what LF has written is true. Unfortunately however, the reality of the situation is that there's a world of difference between an experienced military officer and an airline pilot, except I suppose for those who have previously been military officers. In the real world, "transferable skills" may look good on a CV but they're not really going to put you above the fresh graduates you'll be competing with in most cases, let alone anyone with experience in the industry/ industries you're targeting.
One major hurdle (of many) that we'll be facing is the perception that we're going to be off as soon as a flying job crops up. There is no incentive for any company to invest a penny in an airline pilot, unless they can show that they've invested a significant amount in themselves to remove any doubt that they're serious about a career change, for example by getting a degree or similar. I'd think that would rule out the vast majority of pilots who simply can't afford to take three years away from work, and pay university fees of £9000 a year. With a mortgage, nursery fees etc. to pay I know it would be impossible for me. When the seemingly inevitable happens and I lose my job in the next couple of months, the priority is going to be an immediate income. Therefore, sad to say but I think for most of us, being a "checkout chick or forklift guy" is likely to be the reality for the foreseeable future and probably much longer than that.