AMNA NAWAZ: And now a profile of someone who didn't let height define him.

At just over 4.5-feet tall, Nathaniel Laprade is thought to be the shortest U.S. Marine on record.

And as "PBS NewsHour" digital producer Casey Kuhn reports, he entered boot camp with something to prove.

PFC.

NATHANIEL LAPRADE, U.S. Marine Corps: If you have a weakness, and you know it's your weakness, I can pretty much promise you that by the end of the time in the military, it will become one of your greatest strengths.

CASEY KUHN: Nineteen-year-old Private 1st Class Nathaniel Laprade just became a Marine.

And at 4'7'', he's believed to be the shortest person ever to serve in the U.S. armed forces.

PFC.

NATHANIEL LAPRADE: It kind of has affected me my whole life.

I was always the shortest guy, whether that be on the soccer team or the wrestling team.

Back when I was in high school, there wasn't really eyes on me.

It was just, oh, he's the short kid.

And when I joined the Marine Corps, it was, oh, he has something to prove.

CASEY KUHN: To become a Marine, Laprade endured the grueling Marine boot camp training regimen at Parris Island.

MAN: And you are taking the first step to become a member of the world's finest fighting force, the United States Marine Corps!

CASEY KUHN: He hiked for miles carrying a 40-pound rucksack and overcame huge obstacles.

PFC.

NATHANIEL LAPRADE: There's a lot of weight in our hikes.

And, sometimes, they're moving at a faster pace.

I don't want to go back and say, oh, it's because I have little legs, but it is a tad harder to keep up.

But you just keep your head up, keep your legs moving one foot in front of the other.

And, honestly, I always felt that I had to do better than everyone else.

Everywhere I went, it was, where's the short one?

We'd be running obstacle courses or on the range.

It would be, look at what the little one's doing.

Usually, it was a good thing, because I was really efficient with the obstacle course.

CASEY KUHN: Laprade credits his success at boot camp to guidance from his instructors.

PFC.

NATHANIEL LAPRADE: The instructors would tell me either it's all in my head or just push a little harder or dig a little deeper.

And, sure enough, I would just do what the instructors tell me to do.

And I got through it.

What I will do is, I will pick a role model from them and I will say, I want to be like that guy.

And so when he tells me to do something, it's straight on the spot.

CASEY KUHN: His goal is to become a logistics specialist, which means he'd be part of the teams who manage and prepare equipment for deployment.

But Laprade has a longer-term plan.

He wants to come back to Parris Island as a drill instructor to motivate other Marines, following in the footsteps of the instructors who motivated him.

PFC.

NATHANIEL LAPRADE: So I have always liked teaching.

I have always thought of myself good at teaching, because, if I use what they have been using on us, I will be able to become an even better teacher.

CASEY KUHN: A teacher to inspire and command respect, just like the instructors he had.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Casey Kuhn.