While joining the military is a great way to learn "skillz" I would hope it would not be the first reason that comes to mind. If you want to learn things, buy field manuals, buy surplus equipment, and teach yourself.
Do NOT join the military solely or predominantly to learn skills that are taught to boy scouts and CAP members all around the country. The military is not a joke, we expect a commitment beyond you learning how to not die in the woods.
However, in the US Army there are over 150 enlisted jobs, 24 definitely involve combat. The rest may see you in sporadic combat (truck driver), or they may not (food service specialist). If you are worried about combat, pick a non combat MOS, if you are not, you are lying. But if you want to experience combat pick a combat MOS.
To those of you who think abandoning the military is the right idea because at this juncture in time America isn't on board with your master plan, you are welcome to get off your ass and make a difference without us, we won't mind.
BCT in the army is 9 weeks for most MOS's, and more or less 14 weeks for infantry. Before you get to basic you will spend several weeks if not months getting cleared to even enter the army at all, not to mention the time you will wait to get a contract with the MOS you want and the schools that may be available to you. For example take the 6 months I know that recruits have spent waiting on Ranger contracts and the subsequent 14 weeks of infantry basic training, 3 weeks of Airborne school, and 4 weeks of Ranger Indoctrination to become "n00b" Ranger who must still wait 3 months to a year in the 75th Ranger Regiment to get a chance to attend Ranger school (the most useful for learning "skillz") for 9 weeks to become a full Ranger. If you spent that time teaching yourself the basic skills you desire, you would come out about 2 years ahead of someone in the army because everything YOU need to know to survive in your backyard can be taught to you in a matter of weeks. And when I say you will spend 3 months to a year waiting for a slot in Ranger school what I really mean is you WILL spend 15 months on deployment. In Iraq. Killing people. This is why it is not a good idea to join the Army to learn "skillz" if you aren't in it all the way.
I am in an ROTC program at a Senior Military Institute, and if you have questions I will be glad to answer them the best I can, but by no means do I have all the answers. If you think the Army is for you, talk to a recruiter.