veteran
veteranは悩ましい単語です。
英語では「退役軍人」（"an old soldier of long service、a former member of the armed forces"）というのが第一義の意味で、英語母語話者の多くがこの単語を聞くと、こちらを最初に想起するでしょう（Webster）。
問題は、"a person of long experience usually in some occupation or skill (as politics or the arts)"という二つ目の定義です（日本語のベテランはこちらの意味からでしょう）。いったいどのくらいの年月を経ればveteranと見なされるのでしょうか。WebsterにはHe's a 10-year veteran with the team.という例文がありますが、これは10-year veteranなので納得がいきます。でも、今回の記事では a five-year veteranという用例が出てきました。５年でベテランとは！ヒューストンの警察は人の入れ替えが激しいのでしょうか。
job-hoppingを繰り返し、キャリアアップしていくのが米国で美徳とされたのはもう昔のことのはず。それでも５年も同じところにいるのはやはりveteranなのでしょうか。あー悩ましい！（UG）
Houston officer kills double amputee in wheelchair
(AP) HOUSTON - A Houston police officer shot and killed a one-armed, one-legged man in a wheelchair Saturday inside a group home after police say the double amputee threatened the officer and aggressively waved a metal object that turned out to be a pen.
Police spokeswoman Jodi Silva said the man cornered the officer in his wheelchair and was making threats while trying to stab the officer with the pen. At the time, the officer did not know what the metal object was that the man was waving, Silva said.
She said the man came "within inches to a foot" of the officer and did not follow instructions to calm down and remain still.
"Fearing for his partner's safety and his own safety, he discharged his weapon," Silva told The Associated Press.
（中略）
Silva identified the officer as Matthew Jacob Marin, a five-year veteran of the department. He was immediately placed on three-day administrative leave, which is standard in all shootings involving officers.
