So after years of just squeaking by & knowing very basic commands to navigate for my job using RH5 & 6, I need to learn more. I understand that CentOS is basically a clone of RHE. Is that 100% correct other than branding?

I don't understand the question. Are you lying or asking for a hypothetical third person?

More info - If I download and install CentOS, will it mimic RHE exactly? If I'm wrong about CentOS being a clone of RHE, please tell me.

Yes. CentOS is built from the same source code as RHEL, only it doesn't include the words Red Hat, nor any images of the red dude wearing a fedora. Other than that, it is 100% binary compatible with RHEL release of the same version.

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I've heard that there are some packages available in the RHEL repos that aren't in the CentOS ones, but I don't know what and it's never been a problem for me.

Thank you very much for that.

This thread from the CentOS forums should answer many of your questions: https://www.centos.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=53791

CentOS is free as in freedom.

Pretty much CentOS is a recompile of RHEL with branding removed, meaning slower updates too. It is worth noting that CentOS is also affiliated with Red Hat with some CentOS devs being Red Hat employees and other such things.

The only things in RHEL that are missing in CentOS are the things patented in the USA, like the media codecs.

For years, I'd set the correct sub-pixel smoothing, first on Fedora, later on CentOS — then I discovered that it wasn't actually doing anything, as the algorithm had been omitted as patented! I'm not sure that's still the case, although I still use "best shapes" instead.

As is Red Hat, or there would be no CentOS...

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There are more things missing out of Centos than just media. RH has a few enterprise level features that are not included and are really quite good if you need big iron stuff.

If you need RH then I suggest you get it. It is one of the best linux there is for commercial use. If you want to use the parts of RH that are available downstream then use Centos or Scientific or Oracle linux.

You do have choices too in that many of the popular distro's can do everything Centos can. OpenSuse and Suse and Ubuntu and really things like Gentoo would do just fine for SOHO up to some of the biggest.

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My bad, doesn't seem as bad as Solaris but enterprise =! free; a quick search example: http://www.zdnet.com/article/red-hat...to-developers/

If you want to do anything it's capable of go to school a long time or pay for support... and, I'm sure there's proprietary bits in there not like: https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.en.html
as in free.

Yep, it's the same. The only difference that I am aware of is at an enterprise level; RHEL can push updates via satellite (for a nominal fee), centOS, not so much. As long as you're not running an enterprise system, centOS seems like the obvious choice.