Lieutenant-Colonel Max Riopelle

Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Lieutenant-Colonel Max Riopelle joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 2005 as an ROTP officer. He graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and began his first regimental tour at the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery School. During this time, he held positions such as Troop Commander of G Troop, Assistant Adjutant, various course officer roles, and was entrusted as the Senior Subaltern.

LCol Riopelle continued his regimental service at the 2nd Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, Petawawa, Ontario from 2011 to 2014, followed by a return to the Artillery School from 2014 to 2016 as an Instructor-in-Gunnery. He then served with the 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, Shilo, Manitoba from 2016 to 2021. Throughout his field force tenure, LCol Riopelle was employed in various roles including Forward Observation Officer, Joint Terminal Attack Controller, Battery Captain, Assistant Regimental Command Post Officer, Assistant Operations Officer, Operations Officer, Adjutant, and Battery Commander of Z Battery, supporting the 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. He also deployed on operations in Kuwait, Iraq, and Ukraine.

In 2016, LCol Riopelle was deployed to Kuwait as the Deputy Fires Director for the US 18th Airborne Corps Headquarters, where he supervised fire support coordination across Iraq and Syria, notably leading the preparatory fires for the Raqqah offensive in support of Syrian Democratic Forces. In early 2017, he was redeployed to Baghdad and embedded with the US Special Operations Joint Task Force – Iraq, as the fire support and executive officer for a small US team tasked with neutralizing the ISIS wings surrounding Baghdad through the aggressive coordination of joint fires.

In 2020, LCol Riopelle was deployed to Ukraine as the Deputy Task Force Commander for Operation UNIFIER, where 200 soldiers provided security force assistance to units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine rotating off the front lines.

LCol Riopelle completed his staff college education at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, attending the US Command and General Staff College in 2021, followed by a second year at the US Army School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) in 2022. He returned to Ottawa in 2023, serving as a Section Head in the Chief of Force Development, where he engaged in wargaming to understand future joint force challenges. He then shifted fires to sharpen his French language skills before his most recent assignment to the Army Modernization Team.

LCol Riopelle holds three Master's degrees in various fields including International Relations and Military Operations. He enjoys playing hockey and sports in general, rucking with his children, smoking BBQ, shooting, hunting, camping, and occasionally finding time to game. He is supported by his loving wife Karli, and they take immense pride and joy in their two children, Ava and Patrick. They also cherish their time with their Black Lab, Skoki.

LCol Riopelle is honored for the opportunity to soldier alongside the exceptional team at the Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery School.