Equally good views from both sides of the fence here. I like BV's posts, but also think Dengue Dude's point above is spot on.
A wee extra contribution if I may. The biggest difference I noticed between my military and civil careers was in the people I went to work with. In the RAF a very high percentage of good eggs and a very low percentage of oxygen thieves. In civvy street, less of the former and much, much more of the latter.
And I suspect that is one thing that has not changed too much.