It is a shame that you can't do temporary assignments then go back to your permanent job.  Having worked in the defense industry gives you the opportunity to work on different contracts and being loaned out to different departments.  When you go back to your original department, you are refreshed and have more skills.  That is what temporary assignments do for you. 

It is nice to have some weeks between assignments, especially when on your assignment you worked overtime.  The problem is that you don't know your future or when is your next paycheck. But then many permanent jobs are this way going no where.  As long as your using skills and learning everyday is what counts. Loosing a good supervisor and friends hurt.  Then like the frontiersman, your constantly blazing new trails.