It appears AWS has decided to go the way of profit over knowledge. While that is exceptionally short sighted in my opinion, so be it.
They like many corporations apparently have lost sight of what makes any of them strong, that being people. Excluding those people will only hurt them and the industry they profess to serve.

I would however like to thank them for clarifying my own path forward. I've reached a crossroads in my career, one at which I have to decide which certification pack I will finish my career with. It is clear that path no longer includes AWS. I don't expect them to care about one person, but I predict many will go that way. I also predict there will be many potential new CWI personnel will never come to be. Have they considered how many nonmembers searching for a feel as to if the work was for them came here? How many of those people will turn away when they cannot find what they are looking for?

In summary AWS can KMA. there is an acronym for them.

Y'all be good.