Dr. Mike Paranka, '81
After growing up in Fort Collins, Colorado, I attended the Air Force Academy and graduated in 1981. During my 2 Degree year, I decided to request permission to apply for medical school. After graduation, I went directly to Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and then pursued my residency in Pediatrics at Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base. During that time, I met and married my wife, Therese, an Air Force nurse. We were assigned to a small hospital at Hellenikon Air Base in Athens, Greece, where we were stationed for two years. Our son, Adam, was born during that time at Wiesbaden Air Base in Germany. We returned to Wilford Hall for my fellowship in Neonatology. Our daughter, Audrey, was born during that time. After my fellowship, it was off to Keesler Air Force Base as a neonatologist for six years. In 1999, I separated from the Air Force, joined a private practice neonatology group, and settled at our current home in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.
We became busy with the usual things, like making a living and raising the kids. We had the opportunity to re-establish ties to the Academy through frequent visits and attending the occasional football game. It was a proud moment for us when Adam entered the Academy as a member of the Class of 2012. He is currently enjoying his firstie year and was recently named as one of the captains of the lacrosse team, which he is very excited about.
Our family has several other ties to military academy life, with Therese's father and brother both being West Pointers and her other brother being part of the USAFA Class of 1976. We have numerous friends and neighbors here in Colorado who are Academy grads. I have managed to keep in touch with several squadron mates, as well as classmates who became fellow physicians after graduation. Attending our recent 30th reunion was a great chance to reconnect with many of these folks.
Reflecting on all of this brings me back to how we all felt after graduating from the Zoo. Initially, many of us felt like graduates of just any other college. The overwhelming feeling was one of relief and most of us were glad to see the place in our rear view mirrors. At the time we didn't give it another thought. We got preoccupied with the journey of life including pursuing careers, raising families, and spending time with family and friends. In many of our cases, it is no coincidence that many of the people we surround ourselves with and who have had positive influences on our lives are Academy grads. Therese and I have witnessed first hand the positive influence the Academy has had on our son and on his friends and teammates. It is not by happenstance that the Academy has had a tremendous influence on all of our lives. It has helped mold me and play a part in my successes in life, so I felt like I owed something back. That, more than anything, made me decide to become a Sabre Society donor.
