I'm a former CHQ pilot and Purdue grad. wishing to interject some reason here. Especially since I'm no longer in the airline game... (By choice, not furlough...) The opportunity given to us is, by any measure, is an outstanding one. Also one that ANYONE would take advantage of. But, it's a priviledge, not a right and could all come crashing down with a CEO or other management change at CHQ. I joined CHQ with about 800 hrs. and soon found out that the percentage of 727 knowledge used is about zero. All that brain beating teaches you is how to learn systems. It DOES NOT teach you one thing about stick and rudder skills. That's where tooling around in a Piper, Cessna, or whatever helps out. Don't think for ONE MINUTE that just because you've got 100 hrs. in the 727 sim, the Beechjet type (along with those 100 hrs.), etc. that your GRRRR EAT.
Keep your mouth shut about your background and prove yourself behind the stick. Which isn't entirely difficult. I guess what I'm saying is BE HUMBLE. Statements like, "They KNOW jets and have been flying for 4 years with a discipline thats been related to military flying. Better yet (or worse yet for you) during checkrides, they regularly outfly those 2000 hour pilots who are wandering the streets." is NOT being humble. I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with all of that nonsense, but I think when you are given the kind of opportunity we were and are still given those are the kind of statements that if thought, they're not vocalized.
It's times like these, when those less fortunate are wandering the streets, hoping like hell to get back in to the cockpit and feed their families, that we keep our mouths shut and greatfully accept ANY opportunity afforded us. Purdue IS a fine school that allowed me to have some pretty cool deals float my way, but it sure didn't teach me everything. Keep level heads and the rest you'll figure out as you go.