I think grain effect if vegy good solution, but let draw distance and brightness be as it is, unless AI will kill you and you will not be able to even see where shoots came from. There was some addon you can use destiny of NVG by shift + PGdown/PGup
http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=21772

You are using Gen 2 NVG as a refference. In ArmA 3 everyone has Gen 5 or even Gen 6 if devs claim "its the future!".

Gen 5 NVGs has none of the things you mentioned that would nerf the NVG. In fact, the only thing missing to ArmA's NVG is to simulate the lack of depth of field and that you see things like if your eyes move forward several inches.

Perhaps they could add different models for more variety.

But what's the point?

I agree with the points Dr Death is making, but i would like an animation though.

I can understand the other points, depending on the nvg gen etc, but why a sound?

Point is that the arma NVG looks like a cheap overlay since OFP
It needs to be dynamic and also adjustable

that could be done with a new shader that simulates the NV technology like the Flir one

https://youtu.be/-V396uuiAsU?t=37 - that's a example how it should look

https://youtu.be/o56xutql758?t=17 - another from Insurgency game

Cater: I do not think the last picture is better looking :-D. Actually it does but... not sharp etc.
You are also forgetting about fact, that some optics can not be used together with NV, because that tube on the face is too big to get head to optics.

I disagree with "improvement" in 2035 you are suggesting. Voting down. But I would love manual brightness. Yes it is probably mod, but why don´t devs do this as default.