1. Google NAVAIR (hint:
http://www.navair.navy.mil/) and understand what the mission of the organization is. There's even some links that provide info on the FRC (
http://www.navair.navy.mil/index.cf...play&key=336F87D3-FBB9-4ED5-A2C8-5E1E58EF1FC4) Is it something you're interested in?
2. If you're only talking to a recruiter or an HR person ask to speak to the hiring manager to be able to ask some more technical questions about what work you'll be involved in to see if it's something you're interested in.
3. There are pay charts that take in to account locality adjustment:
https://www.federalpay.org/gs/2018/florida#restofus
4. Is the job a GS job or a does it use another pay system such as DP? DP jobs can get you promoted faster and have a better bonus structure.
5. Look at opm.gov for an understanding of all the benefits that federal employees have. As a vet with 10yrs of service you'd earn 6hrs of leave/pay period. There are 26 pay periods in a year for a total of 156 hours of annual leave. Depending on your work hours (9 vs 8/day) thats 17-19 days of leave. On top of the federal holidays. And there's sick leave too that you can use to go the doc or to stay home with a sick kid and not have to take PTO. NAVAIR Pax does compressed work schedule. So I work 8x9hrs days and 1x8hr day in a 9 day period and get every other Friday off.
6. As
@Flash mentioned you can roll the time you served ACDU in to your FERS retirement. If you served 10yrs and "buy it back" and then serve 30yrs in the federal gov't your pension % is 40-44% of your high three rate. It's not a legacy ACDU pension but it's not too bad.
7. If reserves are your thing, you can do that along with NAVAIR (or another federal job). If you get a reserve retirement you can collect that alongside your FERS retirement.
8. It gets you into the federal system. Once you're a Govie it's much easier to move between agencies than it is to come into the gov't from the street.
9. OCS isn't guaranteed. Does this job and the opportunity of federal career sound better than your current gig? If so, go for it. There's also no guarantee of getting the job at NAVAIR.
10. You can negotiate what rate/step you come in at. It's pretty easy if you have a current pay stub showing that you make X now and that they should meet/beat your current pay.
11. Perhaps most importantly, does your wife want to leave N.Idaho for FL?