Ah, sweet nostalgia! I can actually recall when potential pilots joined for reasons of commitment, ethos, for the love of the life,to be the best there is etc, and not because of what might be possible once all that free and very expensive training was in the bank.
It doesn't alter the fact that the majority of military careers are over at the youthful age of 38 and the rest at the sprightly age of 55.
In the past, most RAF pilots went on to pursue civil careers and got their Captain's rings. The lad is asking a valid question and he deserved a proper answer. The short answer is that, while military flying experience (or any other military qualifications)
is acknowledged by most employers, it doesn't carry much weight with licensing authorities. Ex-military people still have to take the examinations required by civil authorities and though some exemptions are granted, they are few and far between.
As an aside, that training isn't "free" at all. You pay for it through low pay and lousy conditions while in the service - though you won't fully recognize that until after you leave.
