MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga.-- Loyalty doesn’t always look like standing by someone.
When Airman 1st Class Ryland Perez-Settle, 822 Base Defense Squadron fire team member, learned that his friend had taken a life and was on the run, the Airman was faced with a choice that would test his character and conscience.
Torn between friendship and duty, he chose justice, a decision that brought peace to a grieving family, closure to a community, and an Air Force Achievement Medal to an Airman who proved that integrity doesn’t end when the uniform comes off.
“He was my friend, but he put himself in a situation that was wrong,” Perez-Settle said. “I felt regret, but I felt terrible for the sister, who lost her sister; and I knew I had to offer help.”
On Sept. 28, 2025, in Ringgold, Georgia, a shooting claimed the life of one woman and critically injured her sister. Two suspects were identified and charged with murder, but only one was immediately apprehended.
When Perez-Settle returned from leave, he saw the news and instantly recognized one of the suspects as his friend. Despite the emotional conflict, he knew what he had to do.
“Seeing his face on the news was surreal, as he was one of my first friends when I moved,” Perez-Settle said. “When I looked more into the case and learned he had shot a mother of two, it really hit me. If that were my mom, I’d want someone to turn him in. He took things too far that day and shouldn’t be walking free. I reached out to the surviving sister to tell her how sorry I was for her loss and that I would do everything I could to help catch him. I knew where he was, and I knew I could help the police find him.”
When Perez-Settle returned to Moody Air Force Base, he reached out to local law enforcement to share what he knew and offered to help however he could. He provided critical information about the suspect’s possible location, offering investigators their first solid lead in days.
After receiving his initial information, the Chattanooga Police Department contacted Perez-Settle’s leadership at Moody Air Force Base in order to speak with him directly and confirm their lead details. His leadership immediately supported the request and pulled him from mission planning, so he could coordinate with law enforcement. His first lead helped narrow the search, but the suspect managed to slip away.
“My phone had died, and they had been trying to get in contact with me,” Perez-Settle said. “We were doing mission planning that day, getting routes and details, so my battery went out pretty quickly. They eventually contacted leadership, and I got called in. They told me a detective had reached out and needed me to call back, because they needed my help. I called him back, and the detective picked up and said, ‘Hey, I need your help. Where is the suspect right now?’ I gave him the location. They got to his house, and he slipped out the back, got into a car, and took off. I helped track him as he drove down the highway all the way toward Tennessee. I told them that he may be heading toward an apartment they used to hang out at.”
Undeterred, Perez-Settle stayed in contact with law enforcement. Detective Randall Bissell, U. S. Marshals Service Smoky Mountain Fugitive Task Force officer, later reached out for updated information, and Perez-Settle once again provided a location.
Thanks to the real-time intelligence he shared, the Smoky Mountain Fugitive Task Force successfully apprehended the suspect, Erick Link Jr., safely and without incident.
“Airman Perez-Settle became involved in the operation when he called in a tip to the Chattanooga Police Department and provided information pertaining to the location of the suspect Eric Link Jr.,” Bissell said.” He was very professional and responded to our request for information throughout the fugitive investigation.”
Perez-Settle’s integrity and courage not only helped deliver justice but also demonstrated the Air Force core values in action, even beyond the gates of the base.
“The specific actions and decisions he took were one to become involved and help law enforcement get Eric Link Jr. into custody,” Bissell said. “Airman Perez-Settle knew the suspect personally and made the decision to help aid in his capture. This is a testament to his character and integrity to do the right thing, even though he is hours away in another state and on active duty with the United States Air Force. He had real time information on the location of suspect Eric Link and provided that information to us in real time throughout the afternoon and into the evening on his own time. By knowing the location of the suspect, we were able to apprehend him by utilizing surveillance and getting law enforcement into positions that were advantageous to law enforcement and minimize the risk to civilians.”
Perez-Settle noted that the experience reinforced what it means to live by the Air Force core values. Even when faced with a personal conflict, he continued, he made the decision to do what was right.
After the arrest, Bissell wrote a letter of appreciation to Perez-Settle’s leadership, praising the Airman’s dedication, professionalism, and commitment to public safety. In the letter, he emphasized that Perez-Settle’s actions reflected great credit on both himself and the United States Air Force.
“Many of us that make up the Smoky Mountain Fugitive Task Force are prior service and understand the importance of character and integrity and how that must be maintained in and out of uniform,” Bissell said. “I spent 21 years in the service and understand that recognition for going above and beyond the call of duty means something. He had the integrity and courage to become involved. The principles and values instilled in service members were clearly demonstrated in this case.”
For his actions, Perez-Settle was awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal, recognizing his integrity, professionalism, and cooperation with civilian law enforcement.
Perez-Settle’s professionalism and courage reflect the high standards of the Moody Air Force Base and the Air Force as a whole, reminding us that the call to serve doesn’t end when the uniform comes off.