Veterans

OP CON is short for Operational Control. As opposed to AD CON which is Administrative control or TA CON for tactical control.

Units assigned to Joint Operations are under Operational Control of the Host Command (If a regional command) or Commander of the Joint Task Force (if one has been established) while administratively controlled by the higher HQ of the unit.

For example, let's say a Contingency Response Element is tasked to open an airfield in CENTCOM. It will still be administratively supported by it's chain of command at home station but will follow the orders of the CENTCOM Commander in theater.

But, the theater is large the Commander has bigger issues to keep them busy, so a lower level commander can assume Tactical Control to give day to day guidance/direction.

All this is a long preface for me to say - INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT OP CONNED - UNITS ARE

He would have been TDY (USAF, USA) or TAD (USN USMC) or would have deployed supporting unit XYZ during operation ABC