What did Michael Alford serve as, as part of the ISAF force against a known Taliban stronghold and center of opium production?
Helmand province campaign The Helmand province campaign was a series of military operations conducted by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces against Taliban insurgents in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. Their objective was to control a province that was known to be a Taliban stronghold, and a center of opium production. 
Afghan National Army The Afghan National Army (ANA) is the ground warfare branch of the Afghan Armed Forces. It is under the Ministry of Defense in Kabul and is largely trained by NATO forces. The ANA is divided into six regional Corps, with the 201st in Kabul followed by the 203rd in Gardez, 205th in Kandahar, 207th in Herat, 209th in Mazar-i-Sharif and the 215th in Lashkar Gah. The current Chief of Staff of the ANA is Lieutenant General Mohammad Sharif Yaftali.