Trimming the Fat

[DISCLAIMER]

“Well, just make something up,” an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) encouraged me when investigating one of my colleagues in 2007. Perhaps I could back up and provide context for improved understanding related to the current blogpost.

When serving in the United States (U.S.) Marine Corps (1996-2007), my job was military police (MP). While stationed in Okinawa, Japan (1997-1999), I attended the Interviews and Interrogations for the Criminal Investigator course taught by the Criminal Investigation Division.

Throughout my time as an MP, I conducted a number of interrogations of fellow Marines. During that time, the phrase “trimming the fat” was popular to describe removal of ineffective or underperforming personnel so that a leaner organization could efficiently fulfill its mission.

Use of that saying was how I internally justified the fact that the product of my investigations could result in Marines being unfavorably discharged from the military. Besides, I wasn’t committing the offenses which led to investigation; I was merely processing fat to be trimmed.

I then expanded my knowledge of law enforcement and security when serving as a Marine Security Guard (MSG) while serving diplomatic missions in South America (1999-2001). With that mission, I worked with various U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies and bureaus.

Ultimately, I was kicked out of the Corps (2003). Nevertheless, I was able to secure employment as a subcontractor to a company that was contracted with the Department of Energy while working in the field of nuclear security (2004-2008).

My duties at that time largely mirrored my mission as an MP and MSG. Having promoted from an hourly-level employee to a frontline supervisory position, I was privy to information about how upper management officials maintained a similar fat-trimming approach to employees.

As an example, one of my fellow lieutenants (supervision) was referred to the FBI for investigation after he became a whistleblower. Members of management reportedly worked closely with the Bureau to build a case against the lieutenant instead of the captain he reported.

Photo credit, fair use

In 2007, I was ordered to report to the building in the photo above. There, two FBI agents waited for me in a conference room. Herein, I’ll refer to them as Agent 1 and Agent 2. I was vaguely familiar with the former through routine work duties, though I’d never before seen the latter.

When entering the room, Agent 1 greeted me and his demeanor was cordial. He invited me to have a seat and he offered me a beverage. Additionally, Agent 1 positioned himself in a seated position directly across from me. Throughout the interview, he was pleasant.

Contrarily, Agent 2 paced behind me and his manner was disagreeable. For instance, when Agent 1 was establishing a rapport with baseline questions about my military background, hobbies of interest, and other matters, Agent 2 frequently interrupted me as I spoke.

I’d seen this good cop, bad cop routine performed far more effectively by fellow MP interrogators. Moreover, I knew how to counter that Reid technique maneuver. I did this by calling it out and critiquing the poor performance according to my interrogation training.

That didn’t bode well for Agent 2. He increased his confrontational tone and mannerisms (i.e., slamming his fists on the table, raising his voice, etc.). All the same, I informed both agents that I had no information about my fellow lieutenant’s whistleblowing claims. (Besides, I’m not a rat.)

“Well, just make something up,” Agent 2 stated, “tell us a story. You may not know anything, but what do you imagine your colleague is doing.” Make something up? Tell a lie so that my excited utterance could then be misused as an official statement? No thanks. (I’m not a snitch!)

After I laughed in the face of Agent 2 and criticized his technique when he bent down to my level, Agent 1 called off the interrogation. He then apologized for inconveniencing me and informed me that members of upper management apparently provided information to the agents.

Whatever they told the FBI about me wasn’t accurate. Agent 1 also encouraged me to consider employment with the FBI after finishing the justice administration undergraduate degree on which I was working at the time. That was the last time that I spoke with federal agents (“feds”).

In a blogpost entitled Spooky Business, I outlined why I distrust feds. In short, I maintain that feds often serve an anti-constitutional mission and I don’t support their endeavors. Perhaps what I learned while serving as an MSG had irrevocably damaged my perception of feds.

Of course, I keep in mind that overgeneralizing isn’t a logical or reasonable method of engaging the world. The Agent 1s in life may not be corrupt, though the agency for which they work is certainly worth criticizing (and is likely corrupted). In any event, one source recently reported:

The FBI launched a wide-ranging round of staff cuts on Friday [1/31/2025] as Donald Trump’s administration moved to swiftly shake up the US’s leading law enforcement agency […] The move came at the same time that CNN reported that a purge of career law enforcement officials would hit the agency, with dozens of FBI agents facing the axe who worked on investigations into the January 6 attack on the US Capitol and any Trump-related cases, such as the inquiry into missing sensitive documents found at Mar-a-Lago.

Dozens? Using a recommendatory should-type of statement, one may suggest, “Gotta pump those numbers up. Those are rookie numbers in this racket.” What would it take to simply transfer federal law-enforcing duties to sovereign states and retire the FBI altogether?

Trimming the fat could save a lot of money and also keep unscrupulous so-called “investigations” from occurring whereupon people are encouraged to “just make something up” so that fellow U.S. citizens will be deprived their constitutional rights. How about that?

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

References:

Ekiye. (2008, April 13). Snitch. Urban Dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=snitch

Guardian, The. (2025, January 31). FBI launches sweeping staff cuts as Trump seeks to purge career officials. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/31/fbi-staff-cuts-trump-purge

Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer

Hollings, D. (2023, September 8). Fair use. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/fair-use

Hollings, D. (2023, October 12). Get better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/get-better

Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/

Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching

Hollings, D. (2023, January 8). Logic and reason. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/logic-and-reason

Hollings, D. (2023, March 21). Matching bracelets. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/matching-bracelets

Hollings, D. (2024, November 6). Media. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/media

Hollings, D. (2023, September 3). On feelings. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-feelings

Hollings, D. (2024, May 5). Psychotherapist. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapist

Hollings, D. (2024, July 10). Recommendatory should beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/recommendatory-should-beliefs

Hollings, D. (2025, January 5). Spooky business. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/spooky-business

IGN. (2013, December 20). The Wolf of Wall Street – “You Jerk Off?” clip [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/aSn1g-6h1OQ?si=xWFwiGLQsebNASqL

Pantex. (n.d.). About [Image]. U.S. Department of Energy. Retrieved from https://pantex.energy.gov/about

Sxsos. (2015, December 14). Rat. Urban Dictionary. Retrieved from https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Rat

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Donald Trump. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Good cop, bad cop. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_cop,_bad_cop

Wikipedia. (n.d.). January 6 United States Capitol attack. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_6_United_States_Capitol_attack

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Reid technique. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reid_technique