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. 
Opium production in Myanmar Opium production in Myanmar (also known as "Burma") has historically been a major contributor to the county's gross domestic product (GDP). Burma is the world's second largest producer of opium after Afghanistan, producing some 25% of the world's opium, and forms part of the Golden Triangle. The opium industry was a monopoly during colonial times and has since been illegally operated by corrupt officials in the Burmese military and rebel fighters, primarily as the basis for heroin manufacture.