FLC OF A MIL C141 FAILED TO TURN WHEN GIVEN VECTOR HEADINGS BY DEP CTL DURING INITIAL CLB AFTER TKOF. THEY BELIEVED THAT THEY WERE OBLIGATED TO FOLLOW THE INST DEP RTE SPECIFIED IN THE DATA ON THE IFR CHART WHICH APPLIED ONLY WHEN THE TWR IS CLOSED.

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EVENT: ON INITIAL TKOF FROM LAWSON AAF; GA; AIRCREW WAS GIVEN AN INITIAL HEADING OF 250 DEGS MAGNETIC; WHILE FLYING THROUGH 1300 FT MSL ON RWY HEADING (RWY 33). AT 1800 FT MSL CREW WAS GIVEN A SECOND HEADING OF 180 DEGS MAGNETIC. AT 2200 FT MSL; AIRCREW BEGAN L TURN TO 180 DEGS MAGNETIC; AND CONTINUED CLB. ATC THEN NOTIFIED CREW TO TURN IMMEDIATELY TO 180 DEGS MAGNETIC; TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK POS; AND 3 NM ON FINAL TO COLUMBUS; GA; REGIONAL ARPT. NO OTHER WARNINGS; INFO OR DIRECTIONS WERE GIVEN; AND CREW WAS SUBSEQUENTLY HANDED OFF TO MACON APCH WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: ON THE DOD APCH PLATE; LAWSON AAF IS DEPICTED HAVING A 'TROUBLE T' TKOF SYMBOL. INCLUDED IN THE WRITE-UP IS MINIMUM WX (NOT APPLICABLE TO MIL PLTS) AND THE FOLLOWING: 'FOR RWYS 3; 15; 21; 33 CLB TO 2200 FT MSL BEFORE TURNING.' NO GUIDANCE IS ISSUED AS TO WHEN THE 'TROUBLE T' IS EFFECTIVE OR IF ATC VECTORS TAKE PRECEDENCE; OR IF THE ALT IS DUE TO AN OBSTACLE OR ATC RADAR COVERAGE; ETC. CONSEQUENTLY; THE AIRCREW DEPARTED LAWSON AAF EXECUTING THE CLBOUT TO 2200 FT MSL BEFORE INITIATING ANY TURNS. ALSO CONTRIBUTING WAS THE AIRCREW'S EXPERIENCE OPERATING IN AND OUT OF THE FIELD. THE 2 TKOFS MADE PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRED DURING TIMES WHEN LAWSON AAF TWR WAS CLOSED. THE 'TROUBLE T' PROC WAS EXECUTED AND NO PROBS ENCOUNTERED IN EITHER SIT. PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS: IN HINDSIGHT; THE 'TROUBLE T' SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN COMPLIED WITH AS LAWSON AAF TWR WAS OPERATIONAL. BASED ON THE 2 PRIOR TKOFS AND OUR LIMITED EXPERIENCE WITH THE AREA; WE; THE AIRCREW; FELT SAFE IN HAVING DISCOVERED THE 'TROUBLE T' A GOTCHA IN SOME CASES. HOWEVER; A CAREFUL REVIEW OF THE FIELD AND ITS PROCS COULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE BEEN HELPFUL AND PRUDENT. AS PLTS WE OFTEN GET LURED INTO THE 'CREATURE OF HABIT' SYNDROME -- WHAT MADE SENSE BEFORE MAY NOT ALWAYS MAKE SENSE CURRENTLY OR LATER. REGARDING THE TFC; THE AIRCREW WAS UNAWARE OF THE TFC; (NO ATC CALLS BTWN THE OTHER ACFT OR APCH); NO TCASII ON THE MIL JET; OR FURTHER GUIDANCE WAS PROVIDED BY ATC UNTIL WE WERE AT 3 NM FROM THE TFC. AT THE TIME ATC CALLED; HE WAS UNAWARE WE HAD INITIATED OUR TURN AWAY. IN SUMMARY; THE AIRCREW COULD HAVE AFFECTED A REVIEW PRIOR TO TKOF OF THE DEP PROCS TO WHICH WERE APPLICABLE AT THE TIME. AND AS ALWAYS; IF EVER IN DOUBT ASK ATC FOR GUIDANCE.