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Yes Robert, but I spoke of cavalry sabres not bayonets. There are reasons why 
the Army issue one and not the other.
The Navy, the USCG, and the Air Force do not normally issue bayonets either. 
Even the Army does not issue them to MP's for routine duty. Bayonets are 
issued only to those men, in those forces, who are expected to *use* them.

Dissembling on the analogy does not affect the basis of it: Celestial Nav is a 
largely obsolete tool and that is why the services are not "issuing" it. The 
only people who can afford to carry it are those aboard ships and 
places--where they can carry lighter smaller tools that perform better and 
faster with less training. Inertial navigation can now be done with IC chips 
that fit in a matchbox without removing the matches. That's plenty of backup 
for GPS.

And if you see a bright mushroom cloud on the horizon, you won't need your GPS 
or your sextant. Just turn your back to it, and go the other way.

   

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