Public Service 101: Five Things You Should Know About Civil Servants Tags: federal workforce, public service People often equate the federal government with Congress and elected leaders, but our government encompasses so much more than that. There are more than 2 million civil servants responsible for issues vital to the health of our nation, from ensuring national security to administering health insurance programs and so much more. Yet many people don’t know who civil servants are or what they do—we’re here to tell you! Watch our video to learn more about the federal civil service and the hard work civil servants do every day.