If indeed those young soldiers remain and become old generals with influence in the military, it is quite possible that their lifetime of training for war, and their adult life being based around war as well as they career depending on war, that they would seek to continue their careers, their ways of living.
With these people in influential positions, I believe it much more likely that they would pursue more conflict, unless also softened by age; for we see often that the young and courageous and bold are those who use the softened older decision-makers to influence their younger more heated desires. a metaphor may be when a child would want to purchase a pointless (to the parent at least) toy, but the parent is manipulated into giving the child the ability to purchase the toy anyways. What I seek to say here is this: If the old general that you described is in a position of power, the young career-seekers are a much greater worry for raising conflict.
-Amakatura Murou

Discards wrote:
I think on a fundamental level the old men who occupy military positions in government wage wars because; they think they're good at it; they've earned the right to; and it's in everyone's best interests.

This is relevant as well as "living in a military regime" because it represents a natural hierarchy of society. The military forces are just one example, and in some cases a very influential example in the other areas of society.
-AM