You are right about being able to match the salary but hit the nail on the head with "average job". A career in the forces, even a short one, is anything but an average job (no I'm not trying to recruit!) which offers more than most jobs in civvy street. If it's a choice of remaining as an insurance broker or doing anything in the RAF, choose the RAF. It is only my opinion but one that is looking at it from the inside (RN not RAF)knowing how crap it can be at times, particularly during basic training and whilst spending endless hours cleaning things needlessly but it does get better and there are still good prospects for promotion. In the Fleet Air Arm (RN) from basic training to Leading Hand AET (20K+) can be as quick as 3-4 years, sometimes quicker.