In order to make any decent money in civilian aviation, after leaving the forces, yes, you would need to obtain your licences.
Easy enough to do if you are switched on
Not necessarily.
Getting the practical training logs and OJT books stamped up is becoming increasingly difficult.
Working in a heavy maintenance hangar to 'learn the trade' seems to be the way to go. However, it's a catch22 situation.
Good luck anyway.
