If you wonder why all the white patches are missing, This Photo Of The Day has the explanation. One of the U.S. Army Rangers painted his rifle with them. Note the flared magwell. The Ranger is from the 75th Ranger Regiment, and the image is from the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center at Donnelly Training Area, Alaska.

The Donnelly Training Area (DTA) lies 107 miles southeast of Fairbanks and to the west of Fort Greely. It is flanked by the Alaska Range to the south and open land to the north, east, and west. The southern and western perimeters of the DTA are marked by rugged uplands and alpine terrain intersected by deep streambeds, contrasted with wet lowlands and riverine habitats. In contrast, the northern boundary is defined by expansive lowland forests and wetlands.

A U.S. Army Ranger from the 75th Ranger Regiment pull security during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 24-02 at Donnelly Training Area, Alaska, Feb 12, 2024. JPMRC 24-02 depends on joint, multi-component and multinational partners to succeed, including U.S. Air Force air and ground crews, U.S. Marines, and international military participants from more than five countries, a testament to the realism and authenticity of its world-class training capability.

Below: Removing the front lens protection is in my opinion better, but did you know that you can still shoot an Aimpoint (and hit) with the lid closed if you open both eyes? Your brain will “compute” one image, and you should be able to still hit.

Source: U.S. Army Photo by Pfc. Mike Godinez-Martinez.