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But certain brigades didn't send soldiers," said Maness of the gap between soldier and NCO participants. "The whole competition was kind of a mystery," Maness said. "I figured, if I'm young and healthy, I might as well enlist," Maness said. However, one aspect, perhaps the most challenging of the competition, may be more difficult to train -- mental toughness. He wanted to beat the man behind him more than he wanted to catch the man in front of him. "I could see it in their face," said Maness. "