I do sometimes get the impression that, far from the utopian dream they imagined, many ex-military pilots find life in the 'real world' far less appealing than it seemed from the other side of the fence.
Crab
Like most things in life, you only get out what you put in to it. If you come out of the military and expected to be treated as a God by the other pilots who have had to pay thousands of pounds to get their careers going, then you will not like the reception that you'll get. However, if you use your best CRM (crew co-operation) skills and get stuck in, then there isn't really any difference from the military when it comes to flying. I expect many of the HEMS, Police and SAR pilots love their work without all the extra nause that the military expects you to do. As Hummingfrog says, you come to do a job and that is to fly. Once your shift or flight is over, you go home again.
I left the military 11 years ago having served almost 18 years. I loved the flying but the other nause of station secondary duties and being duty officer became to make the life less enjoyable. Since leaving I will admit that I miss some of the camaraderie, but life is what you make it. I go to work to fly, and as a Captain I have as much responsibility for aircraft and crew as I did in the military. Now I have up to 19 pax on a leg to be responsible for as well. Some days the flying is mundane, others working like a one-armed paper-hangar. Same as the military.
As well as a more stable life-style, the pay is generally better (well on the North Sea or SAR anyway) and the opportunities are there should you wish to take a training or management route for your career. In my company we have training captains from both routes, civil and military.
In the end it all depends on your attitude to the job. Have a bad attitude about it and you wont get far. In my experience there are very FEW ex-military pilots who have regretted leaving the military, but they are all glad that they have had the opportunity to do SH, SAR, Jungly or whatever, as it has given them extra experience compared to those that have followed the civil route. Mind you, talk to some of the latter who have worked in Africa and they have some "interesting" stories to tell.
As with civil SAR, Crab, don't knock it until you have tried it! You may be pleasantly surprised
