POST FALLS - It's a small victory for Kris King and his family. But any victory in a roughly seven-year bureaucratic battle is a welcomed relief. "There are few ups in this situation," said John King, Kris' father. "But this is one of them."

POST FALLS - It's a small victory for Kris King and his family.

But any victory in a roughly seven-year bureaucratic battle is a welcomed relief.

"There are few ups in this situation," said John King, Kris' father. "But this is one of them."

On Thursday, Kris, 31 and a U.S. Army combat veteran, finally received seven of the nine medals he earned in 2003, the year U.S. forces first landed in Iraq.

That initial invasion was called "the tip of the spear," and to be among the first to engage in combat meant there wasn't any relief or established safe zones to rest, to disengage.

For 355 days Kris was at the front lines.

Everyday was a death, a fire-fight, the sound of something exploding.

After touching down with the 101st Airborne, it was three months before Kris had time to take a shower. Six months before he found a phone to call home.

And after he survived the year, he came home to another battle: Receiving disability benefits as a disabled vet.

His body, his nerves, cannot re-adjust to civilian life. Kris cannot forget each day he had to fight for his life. He has post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD and a moderate traumatic brain injury from the explosions of warfare and weapons.

And while Kris has been battling the Veterans Benefits Administration for disability benefits for the seven years since his discharge, also lost in the shuffle were the medals he had earned that year.

"I'm here to apologize for the U.S. government," said 1st District Congressman Walt Minnick, who presented Kris his medals Thursday at the Kootenai County Veteran Services Office in Post Falls. "It's a stain on the proud service of the military."

Included in the medals was the prestigious Combat Infantry Badge.

"People like me," Minnick told Kris, "appreciate people like you."

Kris, who lives in Rathdrum, hugged his family and thanked the congressman after receiving the award.

After a few years, he had stopped applying for the benefits, but started up again with his family's support, and contacted his state representatives the second time around. Kris was then diagnosed as 20 percent disabled in February of this year, 10 percent lower than the 30 percent threshold that qualifies vets for benefits.

Kris sees a mental health doctor, too, and he has diagnosed Kris at much higher than that, Kris said.

Minnick, who has been fighting to get Kris a proper diagnosis, helped dig up the soldier's missing medals along the way.

Minnick said he's certain they'll get Kris his proper benefits. And the two more medals the veteran is owed.

"That re-instills my faith," Kris said, about continuing the fight, and gaining his medals. "It's a positive step and I feel good about it. Not only that I feel like I can close this chapter. It's one less thing I have to deal with."

He said through it all, he's remaining optimistic.

"I'm seeing progress," he said.