[SpookyZalost]

When I got out of the Marine Corps I did defense contracting for just over a year. I then took a pay cut got a federal job and held that for a few years. The GOV job was CAKE. I left only because I became the guy that had increasing responsibility with no increasing compensation (GOV promotion system is archaic). I left for another GOV contracting job for a serious pay increase. Honestly, the GO ob is stable, but you're also limited in terms of options, mobility, top-end pay.

The GOV job may be stable in theory, but after I left I had multiple people calling saying they were looking or work as the GOV moved their job across the country on a 3-month notice and they weren't moving. As for the contracts, you know when you need to start looking, and you have a lot of flexibility and its considerably easier to get hired on. I went back contractor because the pay is WAY higher than the equivalent GOV job and more than covers the benefit gap.

See I don't really get any benefits other than I've got security clearance and my pay is better than a lot of my peers at $16.50 an hour.
On the other hand though DeCA and the USPS didn't disappear because they are both needed especially now, being one handles supplies on bases and the other is the postal service.
My only complaint is that the cost of living out here is so high I wish I got paid more but the job is so easy because of how it's setup and I get to work with people all over the world.
Being a contractor for ibm to those two agencies though means I have to expect it, it's sort of an entry level contracting gig and I've not found a better one yet.  Plus I get to work from home during this crisis when almost everyone I know became unemployed, ibm even provided laptops for said job which I setup in the spare room as an office.
I'd say I agree with guardian for the most part though, just don't accept any job that pays less than $20 an hour, ideally $25 if you can help it.