They could not explain what they had actually done.

The Navajo Code Talker program remained classified.

The men had been briefed on this before their discharge: the code might still be needed.

The techniques that had been developed, the vocabulary system, the substitution alphabet — all of it remained active military intelligence.

They were ordered not to discuss the program publicly, not to explain to their families or their communities or curious veterans what they had spent the war years doing.

This order was not temporary.