After receiving honorable mention All-American honors for all three years of his basketball career at the U.S. Military Academy Mike Silliman began serving his military obligation. But while in the service he found time to play on both the 1967 Pan American and 1968 Olympic gold medalists for the United States. He also played AAU basketball from 1967 through 1970 with the Armed Forces team. While in the service he eventually achieved a rank of captain and served with the adjutant general corps in Korea. After his military career ended Mike Silliman played one abbreviated year of pro basketball with the Buffalo Braves, appearing in only 36 games. He then settled back in his home of Kentucky where he first worked as a real estate broker but later became a very successful mortgage banker.