STARFLEET PERSONNEL FILE -- LaForge, Geordi

Played By: LeVar Burton

Rank: Commander

Current assignment: Chief engineer, U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701/E

Full Name: Geordi LaForge

Date of birth: Feb. 16, 2335

Place of birth: African Confederation, Earth

Parents: the late Captain Silva LaForge and Commander Edward M. LaForge

Education: Starfleet Academy, 2353-2357

Marital status: Single

Office: Enterprise: adjacent to Warp Core, Deck 36 Main Engineering

Starfleet Career Summary

2357-63 -- As ensign, aboard U.S.S. Victory under Captain Zimbata

2364 -- As lieutenant junior grade, named chief con officer, U.S.S. Enterprise under Capt. Jean-Luc Picard

2365 -- Promoted to lieutenant, transferred from command to operations division and named chief engineer, U.S.S. Enterprise

2366 -- Promoted to lieutenant commander

2372 -- Transferred with remainder of Picard's senior staff to Sovereign-class U.S.S. Enterprise

2373 -- During attempt to repair Borg temporal sabotage with Earth first contact, acted as replacement flight crew for Zefram Cochran's Phoenix warp test

Psychological Profile: Report of Ship's Counselor Deanna Troi Excerpts, Starfleet Biographical File

The outstanding characteristic LaForge shows is his longtime adaptability to and satisfaction with life, symbolized by the fact that his birth-blindness until recently was overcome not by direct surgery but by the unique VISOR instrument - which, though painful allowed him to "see" throughout the electromagnetic spectrum, from heat and infrared through visible light to radio waves. It attached at the temples via implants which connected directly to the brain and provided such a complex and broad-based input that the user had to concentrate to focus on one area. It was perhaps this intense focusing ability that has enabled him to master the complexities of warp engineering and other starship systems.

Since mid-2371, however, ongoing miniaturization and cybernetic technology have allowed LaForge to begin using ocular implants, which employ complex sensors and filters all with the confines of an artificial eye.

LaForge did not yet have a VISOR at the time of his major childhood trauma: a fire which trapped him for two minutes until he was pulled to safety. The incident left him with the longtime need to be reassured of his parents' proximity - a feeling only exacerbated with the Starfleet couple often being posted in separate places, requiring LaForge and his sister Ariana to move constantly during childhood. He was living at home, however, when he left for Starfleet Academy after graduating from Zefram Cochrane High School, coincidentally named for one of his heroes. He did have a pet Circassian cat at age 8.

His mother died in 2370 as captain of the lost U.S.S. Hera, but in grief he disobeyed Picard and nearly died to save what he thought was her - an image created from his own memory by aliens seeking rescue. The incident occurred as he tested a unique remote-control system for a self-propelled robot drone interfaced with his own VISOR and neural system.

As an ensign he served under Captain Zimbata on the U.S.S. Victory, where a parasite picked up on an away mission to Tarchannen IV in 2362 nearly led to his transformation five years later into a non-sentient species. Only his close friendship and trust with former crewmate Susanna Leitjen saved him.

LaForge first met Captain Jean-Luc Picard sometime before their Enterprise tour, when he impressed his superior officer so much with his all-night refit of a shuttle engine after an off-hand comment by Picard during an inspection tour. Although he has been best friends with Data since they met aboard ship, he has actually known Commander William Riker longer - at least since Farpoint Station, awaiting their new ship's arrival.

LaForge's irreverence has been tempered somewhat with his added responsibilities, but his sense of humor remains strong. His faith in technology and his ability to master it, normally an inspiration to those around him, was shaken slightly with the 2370 discovery that warp drive can harm the fabric of some spatial areas.

In his personal life, LaForge is plagued by a slight insecurity regarding dating and female relationships, although this has lessened with time; significant relationship in this regard included Christy Henshaw, Lt. Aquiel Uhnari, and a passing attraction to Dr. Leah Brahms, begun as a reconstructed holo-program. He served as best man for Miles O'Brien at his wedding to Keiko, and allowed Dr. Crusher to coax him into singing a role in her shipboard troupe's upcoming performance of "The Pirates of Penzance".

He too enjoyed the senior officers' weekly poker game, and even though his artificial "eyes" have allowed him to detect bluffing and see opponents' cards in the ultraviolet spectrum he never "peeked" until a hand was over. Other hobbies are scale model building of old sailing ships, chess, swimming, skin-diving, and the history of his profession: during the Cochran project he recalled the Phoenix test vehicle's intermix chamber from memory. He holds his own in fencing, but writing and mandolin playing are not strong suits, despite a preference for guitar music. Food favorites include iced coffee and pasta dishes such as fungilli. He is adept at many languages including Hahlian, owing to his nomadic childhood.

Professional Assessment: Report of Starfleet Engineering, Dr. Leah Brahms

LaForge's rapid rise during his Enterprise assignment confirms his no-nonsense talent, skill, insight and administrative ability - as well as a keen judgment for needed modifications in the field. Even as a junior officer his specialties included antimatter power and dilithium regulators, and he was extremely capable in many advanced systems and repairs, including Holodeck programs and climate-control computers.

In 2365, he butted heads with this consulting designer when Starfleet wanted his unorthodox jury-rigging of ship's systems for special missions checked out. After settling some personal differences which interfered with our work, my initial doubts about his judgment were more than relieved.

I almost envy LaForge for coming face-to-face with Starfleet legend Montgomery Scott when the near-mythic engineer was found in a transporter loop of a downed courier ship in 2369, and the two joined forces to free the Enterprise from a Dyson Sphere's interior.

LaForge served as a temporary first officer to Cmdr. Will Riker on the U.S.S. Excalibur during the Starfleet blockade of Romulan aid to the Duras faction of the Klingon civil war, using his tachyon system to detect cloaked ships.

Professional review: ibid., SD 50900 update:

I must be blunt. First Scott and now Zefram Cochrane? This reviewer can only imagine the emotions involved with assisting a pioneer with making history, thanks to temporal anomalies, but according to classified files LaForge must be lauded for his personal work in restoring and overseeing the technical support needed to overcome Borg interference in human first contact.

I must say -- some guys get all the luck.

Medical Briefing: Report of CMO Beverly Crusher, M.D.

LaForge suffers no ill effects from his lifelong use of the VISOR, including the ongoing pain suppression that accompanies its use. Ironically, the direct cortical contacts it employs have made him a vulnerable target at times, as when the pro-Romulan faction in the Klingon civil war tried to set him up with unconscious programming to kill a Klingon and create an interstellar incident.

He nearly died when trapped with a Romulan centurion, Bochra, on desolate Galorndon Core in 2366 and was given up for dead two years later when accidentally cloaked by the Romulans' failed interphasic cloak test.

Update, NCC-1701-E: CMO Crusher:

LaForge seems to realize even less pain with his new ocular implants. I for one am happy with the change, since there is now no obvious connection points that injury, infection or even saboteurs can easily access.

Personnel File Addendum: Report of Captain Jean-Luc Picard

As part of the Q-induced future scenario I was made to experience in 2370, my chief engineer left Starfleet, became a successful novelist, and married the onetime Leah Brahms, a Starfleet engineering design colleague, with three children - Bret, Alandra and Sidney. As with my other senior officers, I made the conscious decision to reveal the events of that possible future.

In Star Trek: The Next Generation, LeVar Burton plays the blind Lieutenant Geordi LaForge. "He's been blind since birth, but sees through the use of the VISOR (Visual Input Sensory Optical Reflector) he wears over his eyes. In fact, I am told that my character is named after a disabled Star Trek fan who passed away," explains LeVar.

LeVar presently serves as host and series producer of "Reading Rainbow," the highly-acclaimed Emmy Award winning series on PBS, now in its eleventh year. A 1990 recipient of a star on Hollywood's legendary Walk of Fame, LeVar is also proud to be a member of the cast of "Captain Planet," an animated series designed to empower children to be environmentally responsible.

After applying for and winning a scholarship to USC, LeVar began working toward a degree in drama and fine arts. During his sophomore year he auditioned for his Emmy-winning role Kunte Kinte in the award-winning miniseries, "Roots."

Following "Roots," LeVar starred in a variety of television movies including the Emmy-nominated "Dummy," "One in a Million: The Ron LeFlore Story," "Grambling's White Tiger," "The Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones," "Battered," "Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid," "A Roots Christmas: Kunte Kinte's Gift" and the miniseries "Liberty." Among his feature film credits are "Looking for Mr. Goodbar," "The Hunter" with Steve McQueen and "The Supernaturals."

As the president of Eagle National Films, LeVar is currently developing projects for film and television, some of which he will direct as well as produce. LeVar is also working on the latest Star Trek: The Next Generation feature film.