Crossword Genius

Present soldier with loud shirt (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

gift

'present' is the definition.
(I know that present can be written as gift)

'soldier with loud shirt' is the wordplay.
'soldier' becomes 'gi' (term for US soldier).
'with' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'loud' becomes 'f' (short for forte - 'loud' in music).
'shirt' becomes 't' (as in a T-shirt).
'gi'+'f'+'t'='GIFT'

(Other definitions for gift that I've seen before include "''Never look a .... horse in the mouth" , "A natural attribute" , "flair" , "Offering" , "Special aptitude - present" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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