The Founders

Tristan Rubin

Founder

My name is Tristan Rubin, CD, I am originally from the Saskatchewan prairies.

I joined the Canadian Armed Forces in February 2014 as a Combat Engineer. I served with:

1 Combat Engineer Regiment – CFB Edmonton (Dec14–Apr23)

2 Combat Engineer Regiment – CFB Petawawa (Apr23-Aug25)

Canadian Joint Operations Command (Aug25-Feb26)

During my service, I deployed on two named operations:

OP IMPACT 19-02 – EOD Threat Training Team (TTT), serving as the Operator’s Force Protection Team 2IC

OP UNIFIER ROTO 0.5 (UK) – Combat Engineer SME Trainer (Jan–Mar 2023), deploying on short notice to backfill an injured member

My career unoffically ended in 2024, though my medical release was not finalized until 2026 after a prolonged and difficult process. During that time, my family and I endured another postings, denial of a 3B medical release, and separation as a service couple due to Deployed Spouse.

I was fortunate to finish my final months focusing on my young family and rebuilding my mental and physical health. I am deeply grateful for the leadership support I received during that transition.

But what I experienced — isolation, disconnection, loss of identity — is something too many veterans know well.

The brotherhood and sisterhood fades after release.

And for many, it vanishes entirely.

It is time to rebuild it.

My name is Alexis Russelo, I’m originally from southern Ontario, and joined the Canadian Armed Forces in August 2015 as a combat engineer. While enlisted I deployed twice on OP REASSURANCE: Latvia roto 11 as an FPE (Force Protection Element) section member, and Romania roto 15 as section 2IC of FPE. I also deployed for OP LENTUS many times domestically which I really enjoyed. 

 

                I spent most of my career in Edmonton at 1CER. While I was there, I struggled with mental health issues and injuries. I ended up at 1 Svc Bn in my final year hoping for a better environment while awaiting my 3b medical release in 2025. 

 

                During that year, I met my now fiancé and we moved to Kelowna BC together immediately after my release. While this move was exciting, it was also extremely isolating not only moving away from my entire support system, but away from the military life I’ve known for 10 years. I felt like had nobody to talk to, I was extremely confused and depressed, and not taking care of myself and healing which was my whole intent for my new life. That’s when the founder Tristan Rubin reached out to me and told me about this community he wanted to build and that gave me hope for all of us. 

 

                The loss of identity, isolation- everything that comes with releasing can be so much better for veterans with community, a place to go where everyone can be themselves regardless of your MOS, deployments, gender, or years in. The Canadian Veteran Garage is a place for all of us.

Alexis Russello

Co-founder

Matt Kennedy

Co-founder

My name is Matt Kennedy. I was born and raised in Southern Ontario and originally enlisted in 2009. After completing basic and spending some time in Meaford, I stepped away from the CAF for about a year and a half, returning to Meaford in the fall of 2011. In the spring of 2012 I proudly found myself posted to 1 RCR where I remained until I took a compulsory (medical) transfer to AVN Tech in the fall of 2017. That OT saw my wife and I posted to Cold Lake, where we were lucky enough to have two beautiful girls, and remained until 2023, when we finally returned to Petawawa. I retired at the end of February 2025.

While I had dealt with a chronic physical injury for my entire career in the infantry, the transition to the RCAF brought with it considerable challenges for my mental health. I was mourning a job I hadn't wanted to leave, trying to find my way in a completely different work environment, and pulled from the place I consider my home to go work in a place I had no love for on a fleet I wanted nothing to do with. On top of that, I started to see that a lot of those 'forever' friendships actually ended when the cap badge changed.

It was during this transition that I started riding motorcycles and, along with my new role as a father and the support of my wife, I discovered that riding, and getting back into the garage spinning the wrenches I wanted to be spinning, could truly improve my day to day life. This grew exponentially as I drew closer to retirement and returned to Petawawa. Pairing this with an ever growing desire to help all those who wore or still wear the uniform, I found myself completing a diploma in Social Service Work in 2026 and brainstorming ways to help the veteran community in a way that made sense to me.

This leads us to where we are today. The Canadian Veteran Garage will be the place that I wish I had during that incredibly difficult career transition. A place where everyone is welcome. Whether you have eight deployments under your belt or two trips to Wainwright. Whether you wear a CD3 and a whole rack of others or nothing but shiny buttons.

If you are looking for the place where you can come as you are, with no commitments, no judgement, and no stress, CVG might just be the place for you.
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