Raydon Happy Camper OKC

The sooner you get an application on file the sooner your career with the FAA will begin - no sense in getting experience in the military and waste good years you could be spending building up tenure.

I'd say get an application on file, work, save.. get a nest egg going and maybe even fly a little to get accustomed to the aviation industry. That will do good for you.

The bigger thing is that after a "career" in DoD you still have to go through an application process, and you'll have to start all over again at the bottom when you finally get that FOL.