... i can't help but think that maybe i'm just trying to run away from the inevitable: a job with long hours, little leisure time, some sort of bureaucratic chain of command, and health deterioration...
Unless you're on welfare, I think you're right.
Seriously, though, why not military aviation? It's a longer commitment, but you get all the benefits of the SWO world plus a few extras (kinda obvious, I guess) with not as many of the costs (i.e., we have "crew rest", which if you don't know, is a minimum required amount of rest).
For what it's worth, a lot of those who have served (in any job in any service) are very proud of what they did, and rightfully so - especially those who had the hardest jobs - and don't regret the work they did or the time they spent doing it.