You are right about the contract. They will train him in the mos of his choice, and tech fields tend to stay farther away from the front. That said he will, yes will, receive combat training if he's headed for Iraq. The extent of training depends on his intended duty location and proximity to a hot zone.
From my own experience("Sgt. Keim reporting for duty Sir"), I originally trained as a light wheels mech, switched to A/C & Refrigeration tech, and finally as a power generation and distribution tech with small engines as a secondary. The reason they did this to me is because I signed my enlistment contract for a choice of first duty station. I wanted to stay on the east coast and as near to Richmond Va. as pos. So before I got to the "real Army" I spent 16 weeks at Fort Belvoir U.S.Army Training Center. I believe my contract specified no more then 150 miles from Rich. Va., by the time I got to a post I was already an E-3 PFC.
There was a little more to my unusually quick promotions, perhaps I'll get into that when I write my Bio. I am not sure what the regs are anymore, I'll get with some of my buddies and see what i can find out. I know things got a lot tighter in the last few years.
That said, I am glad your friend has chosen the Army for his first? permanent? career. The training will give him invaluable life skills, and you will notice the difference in his demeanor on his first trip back home after Basic and AIT. But some people are not cut out for the military and they are weeded out early. My older brother got sent home after 12 days in boot. I've picked in 'I'm for it since, but he got me good one day when i was visiting my mom. We were siting at the table for b'fast, he asks me what i see in the Army, i respond(OOH yur gonna love this) " Hey, (dramatic pause) we do more before nine a.m. than most people do all day" I was very proud to be a soldier. He looked me dead in the eye and says " ?This is a selling point for you?"
Any ways, give him a good luck wave for me and I will see what I can find out. As an aside , not all recruiters are dishonest. your Friend may have caught one on his way out cause he can't get his numbers up.