it depends on what you plan to get out of your military experience, and how long you plan to stay.

if your plans are to stay in for a few years and return to the "real world," i highly recommend fields technology. those that you will use your brain and not your brawn. aviation, medical, mi, etc. these will teach you things that can possibly be used upon re-entry with society.

if your plans are to join for adventure, adrenalin, and the gi-joe stuff, go infantry or any other combat arms mos. i am a 12b/21b, or combat engineer. i have been fairly pleased with my military experience, especially the demolitions. had i the chance to do it over, infantry all the way. i hate concertina wire that much. it has been the root of all of my bad times with the military.
as for armor, i know little. i do know that "tankers" live by the saying, "if you aint tankers, you aint shit." gotta be something to it. bad thing about these, not alot of need for an infantryman in the real world come discharge time.

e.o.d. is another option. explosive ordinance disposal. since the begining of the i.e.d. age, these guys have been busting their butts. we, my platoon, has been working with e.o.d. since we came in country. they stay busy while in country, get all of the action come "bomb" time, and do cool stuff while back in the states like bomb squad work with the secret service. i know that the training you would get with e.o.d. would pad you pocket nicley once you get out. civilian contractors are making in the 150's 200's a year with e.o.d. experience. plus, what better way to pick up chicks at a bar than with a "bomb squad" line. ohhh the women......

for what it is worth.

bc

If you want to be a career Huah Army man, then maybe combat arms is for you. If you want to walk everywhere: infantry. If you want to spend all of your time fixing broken down vehicles: Armor. There are some very cool things to do in both. Gunnery is awesome, but you will spend weeks preparing for a few hours of fun.

If you ever want to get out and have a civilian job, high tech is definitely the way to go. Microwave communications and such...

Also think about who is in stop loss right now. You may not get out when you want to. MI, MPs, and aviation are in demand and being extended overseas.

The Army is a great experience for any one who can play by the rules. The pay isn't great, but the benefits, cameraderie, ans stories last a lifetime.

Looking for a little clarification if anyone knows, or can point me in the right direction. I know that I need "perfect" vision for aviation, and can not wear contact lenses(like I currently do), what about laser surgery? Any help in this area would be greatly appreciated.

Combat arms are the only way to go. Infantry appears to be the "branch of the future" again but there are opportunities in other areas. Field Artillery officers are finding homes in a variety of information ops slots when not actively involved in delivering fires. As the primary effects managers for the Army FA officers work with a wide array of resources. It makes for an interesting and intellectually challenging career. And you still get to blow stuff up! I'm not sure what the future holds for Armor but time will tell. Being a scout platoon leader is probably the best job in the Army but the days of major tank warfare are largely gone.

I would avoid choosing a branch in an area which would be similar to a civilian career. Why bother with all of the annoying disadvantages of military bureaucracy with none of the advantages of a warrior culture. But hey, there are a lot of opportunities to suit most anyone. Go for what you have a passion for. Not what you think will be a good fit for a civilian career. I guarantee you'll be much happier.

For Chris, i have heard that the Army is loosening standards for lasik vision correction and actually providing RPK surgery to soldiers. I'm not intimately familiar with the regulations but you may be able to get the straight facts from AKO or directly from the Army Aviation School website. Good luck.

Well as far as branches go, I would have to say Artillery! I was an active-duty, enlisted Artilleryman, 13M, Multiple Launch Rocket System. The MOS course for enlisted is only a month long, so look for lots of on the job training. Right now I am in ROTC, and still want Artillery as my MOS. A couple things about Artillery. One is that you get to do something that you could never do in the real world. Blowing stuff up, Rockets, and the esprit de soprs that comes with being an Artilleryman is not foun anywhere else. You can be an FO(Fire Officer) which is when you are slotted to go with the Infantry to call Fires. This is awesome as you will be puahed physically and mentally. You also have the option of going to Ranger School. You can also be a regualur Artillery Officer. Many officers that I worked with, while enlisted, were getting flown out on weekend before there commitment to the military was up. Why? The planning and real world managment experience gained while an Arty officer are un-mathced in the civilian world. As far as a career goes, most Arty officer make Lt Colonel. I must emphasize that being in the miitary is not about gainin rank, but about gaining respect, and trust from those whom you lead. There are mny options avialible to Arty officers, such as Intel and things of that nature. I know many people in many different MOS's both enlisted and officer. I would say that the majority who are the most squared away have a background in Artillery.

KING OF BATTLE!

I just stumbled across this website and thought I'd share a couple of points. The advice to choose a branch that can give you skills for post-army employment is the biggest load of crap I have ever heard in my life. Why the hell would you join the army to do stuff you can do in the civilian world? I can't stand most of the BS in the army...but I put up with it so I can be a part of something that matters. YOU determine what jobs you cn and can't "get" after your service is up...you'll have a college degree and your own assets to bring to any organization.
Being a rifle platoon leader is the hardest job in the army and likewise provides the most useful experience for getting another job in the future. So, I say infantry all the way, but do what you want to do. Don't listen to anyone that says you need to pick a branch that gives you technical/other experience - they're all management positions essentially.