Agreed. My former company is an example. Middle and upper management have mostly been made into accountants, no matter what their backgrounds are.
My former job is an example of bad accounting. I had 24 years experience, knew the job as well as or better than my manager (which made him mad, so he jumped on my occaisonal mistake).
He and his manager decided that I cost too much, so they laid me off. They then hired two young women at low salaries, although they were given pay grades that were 2 or 3 levels above mine.
Well, one of the women didn't like the job and quit after 3 weeks, and the other reportedly had an aversion to hard work. After I laughed in my former managers face, I lost interest and don't know what happened.
I have been unable to find a job in my field, so I have retired and will be fleeing Maryland to my sisters place in rural Oregon, where I can buy some guns and be a prepper, just like most of the people in that area.
My 30 years in the IT field, after 7+ years in the military, does not get me hired either. Understand your frustration.
Your story is a perfect example of how the US now tosses aside its most valuable resource - our human capital. We are mo longer a meritocracy. Your value to society is based upon where you fall in the ‘disadvantaged spectrum’.