No, it’s not a hook. A hook is something that, for the most part, can’t be “created”: URM-underrepresented minority, first generation, low-income, recruited athlete/Olympian, legacy, international celebrity status, child of billionaire donor, etc.
As you know, California has a huge population of active military. A number of their children have had at least 3-4 years of a California high school education leading to residency status. These kids get the full benefits of California residency.
If you are a nonresident, I believe that you get a break on tuition, but housing and fees could be an issue. However, each UC is different in how they fund their Veterans programs. You have to contact the VA office of each Uc that you plan to apply to. The more “popular” the UC, the more competitive it will be.