I believe the OP  

I believe the original poster. I have been with the FAA for 21 years and things are very much changed here. The ideal hiring candidate is someone with about five years commercial flight experience non-military commercial and possibly airline transport pilot cert.  
over the years here at the FAA straight up no ball we have not had very good success with retired or X military personnel. Yes there have been a few that have done all right and there will be those of you with your ego bruised saying oh that's not true and I know this guy at the FAA that was with the military and so on but the fact is I believe the original poster. And he will do very well and he will be very successful. Most of the retired military or X military people hired here at the federal aviation administration are not very successful and don't last.