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Lengthy experience in defense and communication made Keith Martin ’69 an ideal choice when Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell sought a new director for the state’s Office of Homeland Security. A decorated veteran of the Pennsylvania National Guard, from which he retired as Brigadier General in August, Martin left his job as senior news anchor at WBRE-TV in his hometown of Scranton to accept the post.
“I think Keith Martin will do a brilliant job in not only raising our level of preparedness, raising our reaction time, but also communicating to people without scaring them,” Rendell said.
Martin’s main charge is to find and fill “resource gaps” in the state’s homeland security and bring in more federal dollars for local protection efforts. He also will coordinate the security efforts of various state divisions, including the police and the emergency management agency, and develop plans for preventing and responding to terrorist threats.
“I believe each individual citizen is the ultimate weapon in the war against terror,” Martin said at a press conference announcing his appointment in February. He urged citizens to report suspicious activity to the authorities. “Rather than duct-taping our windows closed and locking our doors, we need to keep our eyes open,” he said. “I think vigilance is a key component of homeland security, and I think that every single Pennsylvanian needs to be enlisted into that effort.”
A double major in philosophy and Russian, Martin anchored more than 15,000 evening newscasts during his journalism career, which included covering the Gulf War live and producing a documentary in Vietnam. His 34-year military service took him to combat in Vietnam and Cambodia. He received the Combat Infantry Badge, the Legion of Merit, and two Bronze Stars.