The PME Hard Gauntlet is tough.

Created by CMS John Troxell, the "Physically, Mentally, Emotionally Hard" Gauntlet is designed to work more than the muscles used on the Army Physical Fitness Test.

"The intent to to give soldiers the core strength they need to face anything on the battlefield," Troxell, I Corps top enlisted soldier, said before leading approximately 20 officers and non-commissioned officers from 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division through a 53-minute workout.

During a 15-month deployment to Iraq, Troxell began to develop the program to keep his soldiers sharp.  He is now showing Joint Base Lewis-McChord's leaders how various work-out stations can be set up and the physical benefits of the PME Hard Gauntlet.

Conducted on the far west end of Watkins Field on Friday morning, the soldiers confronted 30 stations where they used different muscle groups in order to build core muscle strength.

Running through the guantlet is tough, tough work.

Challenges like the "Log relay," "Battling Jump Rope" and  the "TRX Chest Press Combo" soon had the soldiers covered in sweat and gasping for breath.

"Everything we're doing mimics movements on the battlefield,"  2Lt. James McKinney said as he moved to another station called the "Medicinal Ball Slam & Sprawl." 

Troxell pointed out that non-standard equipment like large tires, chains and poles are readily available for use by soldiers in creating their own PME Gauntlets.

"It is you versus the station," Troxell said.  "The idea is to push yourself."