Expert: Francesco Marchesani - 5/11/2006

Question
What is a "mill rinde"?  It is the symbol of the Judge Advocate General in the US Navy, positioned between two oak leaves.  I think it has something to do with grinding mill stones, but cannot find the origin nor specific information.
Thanks in advance for your help.
R/
 John

Answer
Hello,
frm the Jag's website:

The distinctive insignia of the JAG Corps, which incorporates the mill rinde, is shown above. In ancient France, the fer de moline, or mill rinde, was a symbol of equal justice for all under the law. The two counterbalancing oak leaves are identical and connote the scales upon which justice is weighed.  Oak leaves denote a corps, and symbolize strength, particularly the strength of the hulls of the early American Navy, which were oak-timbered.  In the milling of grains, the mill rinde was used to keep the stone grinding wheels an equal distance apart to provide consistency in the milling process. It, thus, symbolizes that the wheels of justice must grind exceedingly fine and exceptionally even. In the sixteenth century, this symbol was adopted in England as a symbol for lawyers.

http://www.jag.navy.mil/AboutUs/HistoryMR3.htm

Fer de moline, in French, means mill ironpiece.