Thanks for y'alls kind words.
After I left the USCG, I was employed by a design & construction firm & worked for one of the VPs who'd hired me. We took the same train to work every morning and back i the evening, so he let me follow his hours, which got us to work 15 minutes late, and we had to leave 15 minutes early in the evening. A hidden perk. Anyway, talking one trip I asked him why he'd hired me. I was interviewed along with a dozen or so recently laid off aviation co. degreed engineers. I have a degree in Marine Engineering, more close to their needs at the time for chemical plant construction, but he said it wasn't the degree as much as that I knew where to look things up.
p.s.- was kidding about the 'reins knife' bit. They don't need them any more as they don't tie the reins to themselves like they did in Roman times.
People in the UK here actually still use similar decorated harness and horse drawn vehicles. There are 'How to harness your pony' videos on a popular internet video site that starts with you and ends with tube that show the 'bearing reins' and harness hook - in a more modern style.