I'm not sure how this thread got resurrected., and didn't go back to read it all...but I think that our difference of opinion arises from the Navy's distinction between Line and Staff officers. I don't know how the Army views staff positions, but the Naval Service is divided between Unrestricted Line Officers (Star on shoulder board) and various Staff corps (JAG, Medical, Dental, CEC). Only Line Officers are qualified for "Command at Sea". While not explicitly stated in the USNA mission statement, it is implied (and borne out initial service assignments), that the purpose of the Naval Academy is to produce Line Officers. Hence my comments above. West Point may have another perspective.
Navy certainly has a good program for attending medical school and serving as a doctor, and the opportunities are much better than they were in my day (although I probably mentioned above, one of my good friends did a SWO tour before going on to a very good career as a Navy Doctor). I agree 100% that having a tour as a line officer would make someone a better officer in any staff position, whether it be medical, JAG, or whatever.
The Army does things quite differently. We have combat arms (infantry, armor, artillery, air defense, aviation, engineers, special forces); combat support (chemical, MP, MI, signal); combat service support (AG, finance, quartermaster, ordnance, transportation); and special (nurse, JAG, Chaplain, Medical Service (medical support such as medivac), dental, vet, chaplain). I think I left a few out such as cyber warfare which is new. Within branches, there are companies, battalions which must be commanded, so officers graduating from West Point can anticipate commanding at some point if they reach the rank of O-3. Brigades often have multiple branches though some such as aviation usually only have aviation battalions within them.
Doctors(and nurses, vets, dentists), normally don't command, but they can command such as with Forward Surgical Teams (FST's), and Combat Support Hospitals (replaced the old MASH), and hospitals. Think of Col Potter in "MASH". They also can find themselves at staff positions such as a Chief of Surgical Services within a hospital.
In order to get promoted doctors are required to complete the same military schooling as other officers such Command and General Staff College, though most will do this by correspondence.
For a long time West Point graduates had to branch in the combat arms, but this changed about the time that women were accepted. I think they still have to list combat arms in their top 5 choices.
