Is military intelligence right for me? (or am I right for military intelligence?)

1 Based on the information about me that I’ve given you, which branch and MOS would you recommend? It doesn't necessarily have to be one of the three I mentioned above.

Hard to say, but probably human intel or intel analyst; signal intel is more orientated towards identifying things by radio emissions, signals sent over networks, etc.

2 Which MOSs allow for most time “outside the wire”? I know that in many respects this is a desk job, but I’d like to know which ones minimize the “desk job” aspect.

Almost certainly human intel.

3 Once my contract is up, what would my options be? State Dept, FBI, CIA, counter-intel, grad school?

It'd depend on exactly what you get involved in during your time on the job. Signals intelligence (though I don't recommend it specifically for you) could make you more attractive to the CIA if you worked on analogue / raw signal analysis or more attractive to the NSA if it was more to do with networks, code, encryption work, etc.

4 What is the difference between officer and enlisted in terms of actual day-to-day? I want to be out in the field talking to people, getting dirty, and using my skills. I’m under the impression that officers are the ones directing the people who are doing the dirty work, not out in the field themselves.

Enlisted will have you doing more hands-on work, officer will get you involved, but at a higher level, coordinating people. As an officer you're also required to be in charge of the welfare of your subordinates (assuming you have some) which takes time away from doing the intel side of things. Officer will pay better and could potentially get you into higher positions within other organisations later on too.

7 What should I look out for when signing my contract? The recruiter seems trustworthy enough, but he’s a salesman, and I’m naturally wary of salesmen. Am I eligible for any signing bonuses (high ASVAB, college education, languages spoken)?

I can't answer this for you, but be fully aware of your security obligations, any posting cycle requirements, required minimum service period, etc. Also get as much info as you can about the day to day life of an intelligence officer (though be firm with anyone you talk to that you're not asking for specific details, and perhaps give examples of what you're asking about; ie "do you get to go beyond the wire much, if at all?"; "how long is a typical or average work day?"; "do you get deployed much?". Also make it clear before you ask those questions that you're looking at applying for the job. If they won't bite, just ask them if they recommend the job.

/r/Intelligence Thread