-Sara-, Scotty Yeah, I see Xinny and Zero as more of exceptions than the norm. I remember Batutta referring to them as 'Heroes with an untold story' or something like that in the commentary. I would imagine most of the FS2 veterans have moved on. 18 years is a long time, but I would have to think many have chosen to make a career out of it just like any other war. They could budge their way up to Officer ranks and command a warship or push pencils at a desk, flight instructors etc. All the things you two have been saying. 20 years of service is not unheard of in today's US military, in fact if you do happen to serve that long you get a sweet pension plan. NGTM-1R is right, and this is army not air force, but you all might find some of these figures interesting.
Military Discharge codes(All the reasons an enlisted man leaves the service) , scroll down to 'Mandatory Retirement'
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:zWkybcZFhmEJ:www.coalitionofvets.org/documents/MilitarySeparationCodes/Military_Separation_Codes_Numeric_Codes.doc+long+serving+enlisted+personnel&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=usMaximum enlistment age- [NOT Mandatory retirement Age!]
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/f/faqenlage.htmI concluded it's possible under some relaxation of these rules for FS2 vets to fly in BP, but they aren't far away from exiting the cockpit unless medicine has advanced sufficiently enough to increase longevity and vitality (an entirely believable reality for the 24th century).
Beskargam- It's certainly possible. I mean if Xinny and Zero made it than why not? It would be strange to run into the great and nameless 'Alpha 1' in BP; and what would Alpha 1 do? Would he/she defect to the UEF, or annihilate every Durga bomber in sight? Wern't you Alpha 1 in FS2? What would YOU do? Something interesting to ponder, maybe even to allude to, but if I have to fight Alpha 1 in WIH:R2 I will do so while giggling.
What about Fs1 Alpha1? If Admiral Calder is a veteran of the great war, than why not bring the first Alpha1 out for another show? Wheel him/her out of the bed and into the cockpit of that old and trusty Herc Mk1 and plead that he/she defend Earth... one last time...
SAVE US ALPHA1!!
[My bad, too much fun]
The beginning of retail FS2 said that the 'Hammerheads' squadron dated back to the destruction of the Lucifer 32 years before that command briefing. It's entirely possible and even realistic for the Aquitaine's Blue Lions to still be around. What the Aquitaine is up to at this point in BP cannon is beyond me. My guess is something to do with Shivans/exploration. I just can't see Robbert Loggia taking on Earth, especially after seeing Independence Day... aah never mind Petrarch would be retired by now. Sure it's possible though. The nice thing about the BP setting is that there are so many opportunities to connect it to retail cannon in a meaningful way.
I remember in AoA being touched when I saw the GTD Minnow, a Terran destroyer in Fs1 that merely got mentioned in a command briefing once. It was given life, in an ironic way, by Corey and it's presence in that mission. It's nice to see that kind of stuff once in awhile. Adds significance to see that everything fits and all that. One of the reasons why I like ASW so much, as well as BP.
Sorry this turned out to be kind of long. My summary is 'Yes'.