If I went as an officer rather than enlisted would I be able to get "down and dirty" with my troops or would I be forced to be behind a desk?

It all depends. Officers do all of the mandatory training events and as a 2LT in a PL position you can expect to be getting dirty on occasion. Generally officers deal with paperwork in garrison. On deployment they do significantly more, but again that depends on your position. If the put you in an S-Shop, you'll only leave the TOC to go to chow or your rack. If you're a PL you along with your PSG will be going on patrols. If you're a company XO you'll be up to your eyeballs in work trying to make sure company logistics and maintenance is adequate.

If you're enlisted, you'll be working your ass off from go. Most NCOs treat SPCs that entered as SPCs similar to privates until they prove that they're responsible enough for responsibly. At this point they might give you a team if they see leadership potential and they're shorthanded. NCOs are responsible for training and most details in garrison. They're also directly in charge of all small unit levels until the platoon sized element. From then the PSG is officially in charge of beans and bullets, but unofficially runs the platoon and trains the LT to be a leader. 1SG is usually in charge of ensuring company level training is conducted and oversees personnel placement within the company. He also largely ensures that subordinate leaders are fulfilling their responsibilities. CSM does the same thing, but for battalions or higher.

It depends on your MOS/AFSC. PV2 (Join to see) The day to day operations is in the hands of the enlisted. Your job as an officer is mostly to hand down orders from command and see that they are effectively carried out. How important is the officer rank to you? You can rise high in the enlisted and be closer to your team. Become informed and have a plan. Good luck to you.

Your leadership style is not defined by your rank. I have seen both. Both enlisted leaders and officers that have led from the front and the rear. Know this: a true leader is the servant of his subordinates.

One Team...One Fight....just own that and you'll do fine

From my limited experience:

Enlisted personnel will do most of the "grunt" work, especially infantry. That means the floor mopping, grass mowing, humvee washing, etc. When they do training, the PL will generally participate in all of the same things (FTX, stress shoots, etc.), but don't pull guard shifts at night.

Thus, the officers do all of the training and infantry tasks that you want to do, but, while enlisted privates are practicing their area beautification skills, they will be doing admin work behind a desk.

You can go in as infantry, get the experience, which will be valuable and swap MOS later. Most people I ever knew, including myself had at least 2 MOSs. Enlist if you want now, then you can go to OCS. Or you can go to college and go through ROTC. As an Lt, you'll be in the field for a few years before making it up to flag rank and getting stuck behind a desk.

If your not getting down and dirty your not only not doing your job, you will achieve little respect from your troops because you are not acting as part of the Team. As an Officer, yes, you hold a higher responsibility but you're not there to be "Mr Clean!" Bottom line, you lead not only from the front, but you are the guide, the Intelligence, and the informer of the dirt at the front.

It depends on what type of job you have. If you are an Infantry platoon leader you will have plenty of opportunities to share experiences with your soldiers. When I went to Infantry OSUT a long time a ago our company commander went through the obstacle course before any of us. He was covered in mud at the end but he showed he was willing to do everything we had to do. That's an example of good leadership.