Hero's Heart

Dr (Chaplain, MAJ-ret) Daniel Middlebrooks was born in Plant City, Florida in 1966 and graduated from Plant City High School in 1984. After receiving his AA degree from Hillsborough Community College, he entered the Active Duty Army in May 1988 at FT. Jackson, SC and began his career as a Physical Therapy Technician at Fox Army Hospital, Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL. He received his BS degree at Athens State College, Athens, Alabama in 1990 and in June 1991, he entered New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and the Army Chaplain’s Candidate Program. After receiving his MDIV in 1994, he was commissioned as a Southern Baptist Chaplain and served until February 2013. He received his DMIN at Erskine Theological Seminary in 2008 for Clinical Pastoral Care and Pastoral Counseling. His last military assignment was as the Senior Instructor and Course Developer/Manager for the U.S. Army Chaplain’s Career Course where he trained and impacted over 300 promoting Chaplains. 

He has received numerous military awards to include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, The Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leave Clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal, and Army Commendation Medal with one Silver and four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters. He earned his Air Assault Wings in 1997 and his Recruiter badge with three silver stars in 2006. He was awarded the distinguished Witherspoon Award from the Office of the Chief of Chaplains and National Bible Association in 2010. Chaplain Middlebrooks has deployed to MFO/Egypt (1999-00), Kosovo/Macedonia (2002), and Iraq (2008-09).

Since retirement in 2013 and moving back home to Plant City, FL., Dr. Middlebrooks has served as the Senior Pastor of Hopewell Baptist Church and as the Command Chaplain for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. He currently serves as the President and Founder of Chaplaincy Care, Inc and the Relationship Leader, LLC and as the Senior Chaplain for First Call, a First Responder Church. He also serves as the volunteer chaplain for multiple agencies within Hillsborough County to include the FBI Tampa Division. He is an accomplished columnist, author, lecturer, and internationally certified John Maxwell mentor/coach and trainer. He has been married for 31 years to the former Arienne L. Plyler and has two daughters, Erica (26) and Allison (21). His family has moved 19 times and understands what it means to “Bloom where God plants you”!