Loaded up with 60 pounds of gear while armed with an M-16 rifle and a video camera, Staff Sgt. Jessica Kuge spent nearly five months documenting dangerous missions in Iraq.

She says she was just doing her job.

The military says differently, awarding her a Bronze Star for heroism or meritorious achievement after she documented 40 combat and humanitarian missions including house raids, weapons cache searches and combat convoy patrols.

During one mission, the airman from Vandenberg Air Force Base single-handedly produced five video clips within 24 hours showing high-level operations for commanders. On the job, she gathered “phenomenal footage,” often under hostile conditions, according to her award commendation.

“Always at the forefront of operations, she came under direct and indirect enemy small-arms fire numerous times,” the commendation says.

“While taking direct fire from the enemy during one of her patrols, Staff Sergeant Kuge calmly and professionally continued to document an insurgent ambush of an Iraqi police check point. Her video was essential for battle damage assessment and in identifying the 22 dead Iraqi policemen.”

Col. Steve Tanous, 30th Space Wing commander, presented the medal Thursday to the

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29-year-old Kuge, who claims Chicago as her hometown.

The Vandenberg videographer was deployed to Baqubah, Iraq, in September 2006 for 143 days with the Multinational Corps-Iraq.

“In a way, I just looked at it as I did my job, I just happened to be in a really crazy situation,“ she said Monday.

In Iraq, she was a rare Air Force airman stationed amid Army soldiers, and she had to learn their terms, procedures and culture. A pre-deployment training she went through at Vandenberg to prepare for the combat zone helped smooth the way for working with the Army, Kuge said.

She frequently joined teams that left the secure surroundings of the forward operating base, spending more than 700 hours “outside the wire,” more than twice that of other videographers, military officials said.

“I love the fact I get to see things most people don't normally get to see,” she said. “How many females get to be out and see what's outside the walls of the base? -- Because most people don't.”

In a war zone, where looking through her video camera's myopic viewfinder could increase the chances of injury or death, Kuge said “the beauty of it” is that she could use a pop-out LED screen to ensure she had peripheral vision to maintain awareness of her surroundings.

Yet there were also times that she abandoned her lens.

“I know how important it is to document what's happening, but there were times I had to drop the camera and I went for the weapon,” she said. “I thought, video's not going to do me any good if I'm gone.”

Toward the end of her tour, she added, that happened “a lot.”

Instead of fear, though, she recalls a different feeling.

“Just more worried, and wanting to come home safe,” said the mother of a 2ð-year-old daughter named Chloe.

During one house raid Kuge faced direct fire, the commendation notes.

“Despite being directly targeted by sniper fire, she maintained her position and helped friendly forces find and eliminate the threat,” the commendation notes. “Throughout the firefight, she continued to calmly document the battle between coalition and enemy forces, resulting in four dead and seven captured Al Qaeda operatives. “

Not all missions were as dangerous. In some cases she traveled with troops visiting local hospitals or interacting with local women or playing soccer with kids. They called those “population engagements” as they gathered intelligence about possible insurgents in the area.

”I didn't get to do that very often, but when I did I really appreciated it,” she said.

Returning to her job at Vandenberg, where she helps document launches and other activities, took some adjustment after days of adrenaline-filled missions.

“You get used to living that way,” she said.

After eight years in the military, she just re-enlisted. She will move to Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., later this month, where she will join a combat camera unit.

“This will be my full-time job,” she said, and she expects to return to the war zone.

Asked if she likes her job as a combat videographer, she said, “I think I kind of do.

“It took me a long time to get used to being home and relaxing,” she added.

Janene Scully can be reached at 739-2214 or janscully@santamariatimes.com.

October 2, 2007