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With his speech at the University of Southern California Tuesday night, retired Gen. David Petraeus 鈥� commander of America鈥檚 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan before becoming director of the Central Intelligence Agency 鈥� effectively signaled his return to public life.听

In apologizing for the extramarital affair that ruined his career and expressing a desire to move forward, Mr. Petraeus 鈥� once thought of as a potential presidential candidate 鈥� has sparked questions about what his second act might be.听

The scheduled topic 鈥� about veterans affairs 鈥� might offer clues.

Though the speech was planned before Mr. Petraeus resigned from the CIA, according to one of his longtime friends, it showed at least one way that the former general might contribute to the national security debate going forward.

鈥淭his is something he may look towards in the future, as far as veterans issues go,鈥� says the friend, who spoke to the Monitor only on condition that he not be named.

Veterans support groups 鈥渁re well intended, but they鈥檙e not pulling in the same direction,鈥� the friend adds. Given his stature, Petraeus could 鈥済ather the groups together鈥� and help them prioritize.

Whether or not Petraeus has any broader designs in returning to the public eye, the issue of veterans affairs is one of some urgency for the Pentagon as it ends two wars.

While the Pentagon has a responsibility to prepare troops for their departure from the service, it鈥檚 a job at which the military hasn鈥檛 excelled in the past, says Sgt. Maj. Bryan Battaglia, the senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Commanders tend to focus on preparing troops for battle, rather than for becoming civilians again. But that approach needs to change, Major Battaglia says.

鈥淚f we鈥檙e not doing that, shame on us,鈥� he says.

It is a topic Petraeus picked up in his speech. 鈥淭here is often a view that, because an individual was a great soldier, he or she will naturally do well in and transition effortlessly to the civilian world.鈥�

鈥淚n reality, the transition from military service to civilian pursuits often is quite challenging,鈥� he added.

The longtime friend imagines that Petraeus could help veterans' groups choose their top five issues. "He鈥檇 have the name recognition and abilities to perhaps get them together.鈥�

In the meantime, speeches like the one Tuesday give him an opportunity to rehabilitate his image. Petraeus began his speech by acknowledging his wrongdoing.

鈥淣eedless to say, I join you keenly aware that I am regarded in a different light now than I was a year ago,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 am also keenly aware that the reason for my recent journey was my own doing.鈥�
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听He reiterated 鈥渉ow deeply I regret 鈥� and apologize for 鈥� the circumstances that led me to resign from the CIA and caused such pain for my family, friends, and supporters.鈥�

That said, the public can be forgiving. 鈥淗e didn鈥檛 rob a bank, he鈥檚 not a mass murderer, he didn鈥檛 steal a bunch of old peoples鈥� retirement funds,鈥� the friend argues, adding that the apology is very much in keeping with Petraeus鈥檚 personal philosophy.

As a commander, 鈥淗e鈥檚 always been one to own up to what you did, then move forward,鈥� the friend adds. 鈥淛ust don鈥檛 do it again.鈥�