I wasn't saying that these FOs you fellas are referring to are all military dudes, I just used my situation as an example of someone who had more experience and accolades than my coworkers at my airline realized because I didn't talk about every detail and nuance of my professional history in the cockpit, at dinner on layovers, and in the crew room.

There's no "false generalization" in my actual point, which again is that you don't actually know what is on another pilot's application/resume (even someone you think you know) until you've actually seen it. That works both ways -- there are also plenty of experienced pilots complaining that they're being unfairly treated by the system, but in reality are sporting black marks on their record that are keeping them from getting the call....but people don't generally talk about all their dirty laundry in public, either, and thus coworkers and acquaintances many times don't know about those black marks.

You've somehow convinced yourself that the singular injustice in the airline hiring biz is that HR departments at airlines over-value job fair attendance and volunteerism, and you're attributing this to be the reason a slew of apparently inexperienced and undeserving are getting hired and you aren't.

I say you're making several assumptions in there that are false, including thinking you know exactly what other pilots qualifications are, good and bad.