USMCFLYR,

Good point, I'll tell you a story that had a big impact on me. I was Flying a low-level sortie in the T-38, I did meticulous mission planning, and flew an awesome flight, hit all my checkpoints on time, IDed all of them and watered the IP's eyes until I exited the low-level route and didn't know which way to turn??? The IP took the jet and reefed it into a hard turn towards the Tacan. I felt like an idiot!! I had planned the low-level route but gave little to no thought about exiting and RTB...I learned a hard lesson that day, plan the ENTIRE MISSION...later in my career, and still to this day You must not only plan for the mission but all contingincies as well, I find this is a trait posessed by the better pilots I've flown with.