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I blew up the photo and enhanced it, and that looks like a rubber baseplate bumper on the bottom to me. I also think I may be able to see the magazine's inspection punchout (on the wrong side of the mag) below the mag well line. And, I see no sign of another magazine or a clip or tape.
IOW, I'm going to reverse my analysis and say that she, indeed, went into a combat situation with her mag in backward and a risky stance -- but with good trigger-finger discipline <LOL!!> (and an empty rifle)...
I hope her training officer had her practicing loading and unloading so long and frequently that she developed blisters. Or, better yet, that they put her stupid @$$ on permanent, unarmed desk duty...
And if it were sidesaddled, you would see the bend of the properly inserted mag going the other way.