The young generation of service men and women included members of the University of Arkansas Army and Air Force ROTC.
Kathleen L. Johnson, social work services advocate for former POWs, said most are from WWII and Vietnam.
It's an aging population, which means it's difficult to get them to these events, Johnson said.
"It's very moving to see them recognized because with the recognition comes recollection of their experiences that they had," Johnson said. "We had one ex-POW who told me some stories about what they were fed and he actually wrote a piece on that we were able to use that piece one year."
The keynote speaker was Cadet Colonel Robert McQuilkin.