PERSONNEL FILE: FEDERATION

NAME: La Forge, Geordi
RANK: Lieutenant Commander
BORN: 2335
PLACE OF BIRTH: not on file
ORIGIN: Human
ASSIGNMENT: U.S.S. Enterprise-E
LAST SHIP: U.S.S. Enterprise-D
ACADEMY CLASS: 2357
BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS: Chief engineer aboard the Starship Enterprise-D. Born blind in 2335 because of a birth defect, La Forge wore a remarkable device called a VISOR that permitted him to see with greater clarity than other humans could. Geordi La Forge came from a family of Starfleet officers. His mother, Silva La Forge, was captain of the U.S.S. Hera at the time of her death in 2370, and his father was an exobiologist. Geordi recalled that, even though he moved around a great deal, he considered his childhood a great adventure. La Forge did not receive his VISOR until after his fifth birthday. Geordi was caught in a fire when he was five years old. He was rescued by his parents, and was not injured. Geordi recalled how for a time after the incident it was extremely important for him to know where his parents were at all times. Geordi had a pet Circassian cat when he was eight. Possibly because his parents traveled so much when he was a child, Geordi had something of a knack for languages. One such language was Hahliian. Geordi La Forge graduated from Starfleet Academy in 2357. One of La Forge's first Starfleet assignments was as shuttle pilot for the Jovian run between Jupiter and Saturn. La Forge first met Captain Picard when La Forge piloted Picard's shuttle on an inspection tour. During the tour, Picard made an offhanded remark about a minor inefficiency in the shuttle's engines, and La Forge subsequently stayed up all night to repair the problem. Picard was so impressed with the incident that he requested La Forge be assigned to the Enterprise-D in 2364. La Forge later served as an ensign on the U.S.S. Victory under the command of Captain Zimbata. One of Geordi's closest friends on that ship was  Lieutenant Susanna Leijten. In 2362, both La Forge and Leijten participated in an away mission to planet Tarchannen III. It was later realized that all members of that away team were infected by an alien DNA strand that would, if unchecked, compel them to return to Tarchannen III, where they would be transformed into a native Tarchannen life-form. La Forge was saved from the transformation in 2367 by Leijten's actions and medical intervention by Enterprise-D CMO Crusher. La Forge transferred to the Enterprise-D as flight controller (conn) in 2364. Geordi was promoted to full lieutenant and assigned as U.S.S. Enterprise-D chief engineer the following year, just prior to stardate 42073.1. Although brilliantly proficient as a starship engineer, La Forge had difficulty building relationships with women. Perhaps as a result, Geordi developed an attachment to a holographic representation of Enterprise-D designer Leah Brahms. The real Dr. Brahms was outraged to learn of this simulation, noting that creating such a replica without her permission was an invasion of privacy. Brahms did eventually become friends with La Forge, although Geordi was disappointed to learn that Leah was already married. La Forge was promoted to lieutenant commander in early 2366. Because of his VISOR interface, Geordi was a perfect candidate to test an experimental interface device. He used the device in 2370, in an attempt to rescue the crew of the U.S.S. Raman. During the rescue, Geordi encountered what appeared to be his mother, Silva La Forge, aboard the Raman. Geordi was at first convinced his mother's ship was actually trapped in the atmosphere, but later realized the experience was an attempt by the Marijne VII beings to communicate. Though he was unable to save his mother, Geordi felt the incident gave him the opportunity to say good-bye to her. After the destruction of the Enterprise-D, La Forge accepted an assignment as chief engineer of the U.S.S. Enterprise-E when it was launched in 2372. By stardate 50893, Geordi had been given ocular implants that replaced his VISOR. Although the implants were much smaller than his VISOR, they still afforded La Forge a wide range of sensory information. 
ACHIEVEMENTS, AWARDS: not on file
FAMILY: Mother, Silva La Forge: Deceased; Father, Edward M. La Forge, whereabouts not on file.