Lt. Cmdr. Van Hook enlisted in the U.S. Navy through the Delayed Entry Program. After completing basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois, in 1992, he attended Aviation Electrician’s Mate “A” School at Naval Air Technical Training Center Millington, Tennessee, and follow-on SH-60B Sea Hawk helicopter training at Helicopter Anti-Submarine Light Squadron (HSL) 40, Mayport, Florida.

His enlisted tours included HSL-37, Barbers Point, Hawaii, where he qualified as an SH-60B plane captain, avionics collateral duty quality assurance representative (CDQAR), and completed two deployments to the Arabian Gulf aboard USS Reuben James (FFG 57) and USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) in support of Operations Desert Shield, Vigilant Sentinel, and Southern Watch. With HSL-46, Mayport, he served as a multi-system CDQAR and plane captain, deploying aboard USS Taylor (FFG 50) in support of Mediterranean, Adriatic, and Black Sea NATO operations.

After selection for the P-3 Flight Engineer Program, he completed Naval Aircrew School; Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape training; and the flight engineer syllabus at Patrol Squadron (VP) 30, Jacksonville, Florida, earning his naval aircrew wings. During a tour with Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 2, Rota, Spain, he qualified as an EP-3E/P-3C maintenance control safe-for-flight representative and instructor flight engineer; he accrued 2,150 flight hours aboard the EP-3E in support of Operations Allied Force, Joint Guardian, Northern Watch, Southern Watch, Joint Forge, Deliberate Guard, and Enduring Freedom.
Van Hook advanced to the rank of chief petty officer at Special Projects Patrol Squadron (VPU) 1, Brunswick, Maine, where he served as the flight engineer Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures evaluator, maintenance control safe-for-flight, full systems quality assurance representative, and electrical/instrument branch chief. He accrued 2,750 flight hours conducting sensitive airborne reconnaissance operations in response to Joint Chiefs of Staff tasking in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom-Philippines, and the Global War on Terrorism.
During a tour with BUPERS Sea Duty Component, Dallas, Texas, he served as the aircraft division officer, quality assurance officer, and senior instructor flight engineer, deploying to remote sites and accruing 2,600 flight hours in support of national contingency tasking.

In 2008, he was commissioned as an ensign through the Aviation Maintenance Limited Duty Officer Program.
His officer tours include Fleet Readiness Center Southwest Detachment Point Mugu, California, as avionics division officer, aircraft division officer, AIRSpeed officer, and material control officer, responsible for performing test, repair, and calibration services on E-2, C-2, C-130, P-3, and F-18 aeronautical equipment. He served with VP-16, Jacksonville, as maintenance material control officer, assistant maintenance officer, and detachment officer in charge (OIC), responsible for 10 P-3C Orion aircraft; VP-16 was the first fleet squadron to transition and deploy with the P-8A Poseidon aircraft. As assistant maintenance officer and contracting officer for Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 40, Mayport, he managed 345 military and civilian contract personnel supporting 30 MH-60R aircraft; he redesignated as an aerospace maintenance duty officer.
His last assignment was with VP-8, Jacksonville, as the maintenance officer, responsible for 134 technicians maintaining nine P-8A aircraft supporting uninterrupted maritime dominance in addition to the seizure of $2.5 billion worth of illicit drugs restricting transnational threat networks in support of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, Joint Interagency Task Force South, Operation Martillo, and Joint Task Force Bravo.

He reported as the OIC for Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Det. Whiting Field, Florida in September 2019.
Van Hook’s personal awards include seven (Strike/Flight) Air Medals, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (eight awards with Combat “V”), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (six awards), Navy Good Conduct Medal (six awards).
He qualified as an enlisted aviation warfare specialist, enlisted surface warfare specialist, FAA private pilot, and Professional Aviation Maintenance Officer. He completed the Naval Postgraduate School Master of Business Administration program.