In frank and confidential manner, male soldiers hide nothing (3,2,3)

'in frank and confidential manner' is the definition.
(as in a man to man conversation)

'male soldiers hide nothing' is the wordplay.
'male' becomes 'man' (man is a kind of male).
'soldiers' becomes 'tman' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'hide' indicates putting letters inside.
'nothing' becomes 'O' (O resembles 0).
'tman' going around 'o' is 'toman'.
'man'+'toman'='MAN-TO-MAN'

Can you help me to learn more?