The headphone jack does use the camera module for its connections back into the mainboard. SO, if you take out the camera you will be rendering the headphone jack useless (it wont make contact with anything inside the case).

To circumvent this, just pick up a Blue tooth headset since the Droid is A2DP complaint.

I have not found nor do I suspect the USB port can be used for USB headsets.

The screws are actually T5.
The first silver screw has a black plastic tab partial covering it
Yes you can remove the camera without damaging the phone.

I pulled my camera the other night since I also can not have one where I work and its actually pretty easy. Breaking the phone down may seem intimidating but its actually pretty easy just as long as you take it slow and don’t try to bend the panels more then say 5 degrees (Im talking about the outer plates/covers).

Some useful and required tools to pull the camera (T5 torx, 2 guitar picks one soft one hard or other wedges, a small flat head about the same size as the T5).

Start off with the analysis above, when removing the first silver screw my model had a black plastic tab partial cover it. You can just unscrew the torx, the thread will push the screw past (You will have to use you’re wedge to hold it up a little during installation).

The next step I removed the camera lens plate (Be very careful to not bend any of the plates so they will go back on without bendage on the corners, etc..) I used two guitar picks to work under the plate and managed to save all my stick. Verizoned used double stick plastic tape when securing the panels so you can actually replace it if need be. The lens covering is actually one piece with the back casing.

Next using the space providing from removing the camera plate, I worked off the top foot rest. Again be careful not to overly bend anything.

The part that worried me the most but presented no problems, You now need to remove the copper speaker plate. It is super thin and very very easy to bend and deface. Use you’re soft pick to work under it (it would help to have a very small flat head to start a corner first). Of all the pieces this one is the most prowne to crease marks if you bend it to much.

You should now have access to all the screws, take them out or loosen them enough to begin start unsnapping the case on its sides. There are two snaps on the top and bottom and 3 on each side. I used my hard pick to start on the bottom left corner (when looking from the back) and worked around. Catch you’re buttons when they fall out.)

when pulling the back out, notice the little tab right in the middle of the phone that sits above the batter and below the memory card (pull that out if you havnt by now) That little tab has a kind of lego man hand clip on it holding onto the center post (the first silver screw). just use you’re pick to pull it downward toward the phones bottom. The back casing should now be free.

You now have access to the last silver and two black screws holding down the main board.

Use you’re flat head to remove the two LCD socket connections, carefully unplug the wifi antenna on the bottom right of the board and remove that screw under it.

** You dont have to remove the keyboard socket connection but I found it easier to remove the camera since I could better manipulate the mainboard without a tether holding it down. **

You can now roll the main board to the left where you will have access to the camera socket connection. Carefully pry it out with you’re flat head.

Putting it all back together is really easy, just pay attention to a few things.

Dont forget to plug the 2 LCD sockets back in, the Screen socket, the wifi antenna

**take note of the wifi antenna, there are two small clips the antenna pushes into in the middle of the cable that hold it away from the egdge of the casing so you dont crimp the antenna when snapping the back case.**

Pay attention to you’re buttons, the on/off button can only install one way the camera button can install either way but I noticed if you put it in with the protruding edge facing down or towards the fron of the phone it dosnt sit quit right. The volume rocker dosnt matter, its the same on all sides.

Double check all you’re screws, and snap the back casing back on **starting** with the bottom side first (the clips are somewhat different on that side and kind of hinge on so its easier to just start there. keep an eye on the right side and use you’ flat head to make sure the wifi antenna is still out of the way from the casing edge.

Put all you’re plates back on and firmly press them into place, install memory, etc…

I recommend also removing you’re camera from the interface. You will need to update you’re firmware to 2.1, root the phone, install Power user and root manager (BGsoft this cost 1.99 from the market place).

Power user you get from the market place
root manager you get from the market place (1.99us)
google the firmware update and instructions for installing it.