If your looking for a decent military their usually easy enough to find. The BAFers are usually a good lot to fly with, your gaurunteed to have an eventful day. Liberty Navy is non-stop and the Rheinland bunch tend to make sure their always busy.
As for pirates, you can't beat the Benitez if you wanna join a Corsair official. The Outcasts always have rising and falling factions so it's usually russian roulette if you catch one thats worth a damn. Other than that the Colonial Remnant is always good fun, although they've gone in other directions as of late and things are changing up there, yet not changing at all.
Gallia is fun if you can stand the lonliness. The council is good, so is the union corse, but its just a matter of finding things to do til .86 arrives.