Staff Sergeant Eryka P. Ely distinguished herself with heroism involving voluntary risk of life while stationed at the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. In the early morning hours of July 28, 2019, Sergeant Ely was alerted that a friend had been involved in an altercation and was in danger. Without hesitation, she rushed to help. Making it to the scene, Sergeant Ely could see her friend was in critical condition. She alerted emergency services and began life-saving measures. Sergeant Ely stopped severe bleeding by tearing a strip off of her shirt to create a compression bandage. After checking her for a pulse, she found he did not have one. She administered CPR until paramedics arrived.