Old soldier (7)

I believe the answer is:
veteran
<span class="explanation-format__ClueExplanation">'<span class="explanation-format__original">old soldier</span>' is the definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">(veteran can mean a former soldier)</span><br/ ><br/ >This is the entire clue.<br/ ></span>
(Other definitions for veteran that I've seen before include "Nervate (anag.)" , "An old hand or ex-soldier in USA" , "One of great experience" , "Describing cars built before 1919, especially before 1905" , "Person with long experience, as in American army" .)