Col. Frank Rubio received the Army Astronaut Device Feb. 22 during a ceremony at the Pentagon, making him one of just three currently serving soldiers authorized to wear the device.

“Col. Rubio, you are a stellar example of the Army’s core values and what it means to lead a life of service,” Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said during the ceremony. “You inspired audiences around the world as you orbited the Earth for 371 days, and now, back on Earth, you continue to inspire others as you share your experience with the public.”

Rubio set the record for the longest single spaceflight by an American after he spent just over a year aboard the International Space Station. He returned to earth on Sept. 27.

“What an incredible honor it is to represent the Army, and, honestly, the biggest honor for me … is the fact that, to me, [this is] the ultimate team badge,” Rubio said during the ceremony. “You absolutely cannot get to space on your own. No matter how talented you are, no matter what you've [accomplished], it takes a team of thousands to get you to space.”

Rubio, a 1998 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, is a family physician and flight surgeon. He also has served as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter pilot, deploying to Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq and flying more than 600 hours in combat and imminent danger, according to his NASA biography. Rubio was selected by NASA to join the 2017 Astronaut Candidate Class while he was serving with the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Carson, Colorado.

During his remarks, Rubio recognized his wife, Deborah, and their four children, whom he affectionately referred to as Team Rubio. “They’re the reason that I was able to do this and that I’ve been able to really have my entire career,” he said. “Without them and the support that I get from them, none of this would be possible.”

Considered one of the rarest devices a soldier can earn, Rubio joins Col. Anne McClain and Col. Andrew Morgan as the only active-duty soldiers authorized to wear the Army Astronaut Device. To earn the badge, soldiers must complete at least one operational mission in space, according to Army Regulation 600-8-22.

As Rubio thanked his West Point classmates who were in attendance, he reflected on their service.

“I can’t believe we started this adventure together, … and to look around and see … what our classmates have done is incredible,” Rubio said. “And that’s just what [the Army] represents. They take young men and women, and they shape us and mold us. And then, eventually, we become leaders of our nation, which is pretty incredible. And what a beautiful, wonderful nation we do get to lead and represent.”