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Elite women soldiers in Afghanistan.

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Air Force Maj. Sarah Cleveland, 42, grimaces as she gets help from medics after her legs cramped up during the first day of the Cultural Support Assessment and Selection program at Camp Mackall, N.C. The next morning, she joined her team for the next event devised to test whether they are a good candidate for an elite, all-female team trained to build relationships with Afghan women.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

Team 2 marches out to its first challenge of the morning during the second day of the Cultural Support Assessment and Selection program at Camp Mackall. The program consists of five days of physical and mental tests designed to determine a candidate's ability to maintain her composure, apply logic, communicate clearly and solve problems in demanding environments.

Team 2 marches out to its first challenge of the morning during the second day of the Cultural Support Assessment and Selection program at Camp Mackall. The program consists of five days of physical and mental tests designed to determine a candidate's ability to maintain her composure, apply logic, communicate clearly and solve problems in demanding environments.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

1st Lt. Amy Steffanetta, 24, and Capt. Camille Effler examine the next challenge. Steffanetta graduated from West Point in 2009 as a military police officer.

1st Lt. Amy Steffanetta, 24, and Capt. Camille Effler examine the next challenge. Steffanetta graduated from West Point in 2009 as a military police officer.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

Sgt. Janiece Marquez, 25, tries to slide under a fence as the rest of her team digs to help her. Marquez, from Bosque Farms, N.M., was deployed to Khost, Afghanistan, in 2008 as a linguist and interrogator.

Sgt. Janiece Marquez, 25, tries to slide under a fence as the rest of her team digs to help her. Marquez, from Bosque Farms, N.M., was deployed to Khost, Afghanistan, in 2008 as a linguist and interrogator.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

Sgt. Janiece Marquez helps guide Sgt. Sheree Lapointe, 25, under the fence. In this exercise, each team member had to pass under the fence without touching it, and if one did, the entire team would have to start over.

Sgt. Janiece Marquez helps guide Sgt. Sheree Lapointe, 25, under the fence. In this exercise, each team member had to pass under the fence without touching it, and if one did, the entire team would have to start over.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

Sgt. Jessica Blacksher marches with her team during the final day at Camp Mackall, a former World War II training base near Fort Bragg in central North Carolina.

Sgt. Jessica Blacksher marches with her team during the final day at Camp Mackall, a former World War II training base near Fort Bragg in central North Carolina.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

Sgt. Sheree Lapointe said of the selection: 'I know I left everything out there. I cried. It hurt.'

Sgt. Sheree Lapointe said of the selection: "I know I left everything out there. I cried. It hurt."

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

Team 2 works to get over an obstacle. The candidates spend most of the second day making their way to and from 10 obstacles.

Team 2 works to get over an obstacle. The candidates spend most of the second day making their way to and from 10 obstacles.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

1st Lt. Leslie Johnson boosts a teammate over an obstacle.

1st Lt. Leslie Johnson boosts a teammate over an obstacle.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

Team 2 watches as Sgt. Janiece Marquez crawls across a plank.

Team 2 watches as Sgt. Janiece Marquez crawls across a plank.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

2nd Lt. Alex Horton and her team navigate under barbed wire using only five sticks to prop up the barbed wire. If anyone touched the wire, the team would have to start over again.

2nd Lt. Alex Horton and her team navigate under barbed wire using only five sticks to prop up the barbed wire. If anyone touched the wire, the team would have to start over again.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

Marching with heavy packs was commonplace during the exercises.

Marching with heavy packs was commonplace during the exercises.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

Team 2 tackles another obstacle.

Team 2 tackles another obstacle.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

Team 2 persists. Said 2nd Lt. Alex Horton: 'You have to keep a positive attitude. They are just trying to play mind games and see how you react.'

Team 2 persists. Said 2nd Lt. Alex Horton: "You have to keep a positive attitude. They are just trying to play mind games and see how you react."

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

Sgt. Jessica Keller shimmies across a plank as the team tries to get across the posts without touching the ground.

Sgt. Jessica Keller shimmies across a plank as the team tries to get across the posts without touching the ground.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

Sgt. Janiece Marquez prepares 1st Lt. Leslie Johnson for another challenge.

Sgt. Janiece Marquez prepares 1st Lt. Leslie Johnson for another challenge.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

Team 2 tries to get a wooden beam across an imaginary river.

Team 2 tries to get a wooden beam across an imaginary river.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

2nd Lt. Alison Lanz, center, attempts to deal with a group of role players all talking at once.

2nd Lt. Alison Lanz, center, attempts to deal with a group of role players all talking at once.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

2nd Lt. Alex Horton, center, holds onto Sgt. Sheree Lapointe as Capt. Camille Effler applies a antiseptic cream to Horton's blistered foot.

2nd Lt. Alex Horton, center, holds onto Sgt. Sheree Lapointe as Capt. Camille Effler applies a antiseptic cream to Horton's blistered foot.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

2nd Lt. Alison Lanz airs out her bandaged feet as she writes an essay in the team tent.

2nd Lt. Alison Lanz airs out her bandaged feet as she writes an essay in the team tent.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

Team 2's exercises begin at 3 a.m. one day.

Team 2's exercises begin at 3 a.m. one day.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

Team 2 is on the march.

Team 2 is on the march.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

2nd Lt. Alison Lanz and the rest of Team 2 take a break after being on their feet for nine hours. Only three of Team 2's 10 members did not make the cut. Some of those selected headed to Fort Benning, Ga., to start their deployment paperwork.

2nd Lt. Alison Lanz and the rest of Team 2 take a break after being on their feet for nine hours. Only three of Team 2's 10 members did not make the cut. Some of those selected headed to Fort Benning, Ga., to start their deployment paperwork.

Andrew Craft / FOR THE WASHINGTON POST MAGAZINE

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