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  • the United States Army is, of course, known for going out on the front lines during high risk missions and is on the ground during war.

  • But now some are fighting what the president dubs the invisible army.

  • Rachel Scott Martine were given exclusive access inside an Army lab, closely studying the Corona virus as they try to find a way to win this war.

  • At Fort Dietrich in Maryland, Army scientists are armed with face masks, rubber gloves and test tubes.

  • They are on the front lines in the fight against the Corona virus.

  • But we want to do is to prevent the disease, and the way to do that is drew a vaccination.

  • Some of the people here are going to be heroes.

  • They're gonna help us defeat it.

  • Our cameras rolling exclusively inside one of the military's most important research and medical facilities, US AM rid researchers here, growing a live sample of the Corona virus for testing, studying its characteristics and behavior to try and find what will prevent it Behind these glass windows, lab techs are beginning a 2 to 3 weeks long process of multiplying and purifying the virus to understand how it spreads As the pandemic sweeps across the world, a shortfall in treatment has sparked a global race to find a vaccine.

  • Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy telling me they're under pressure and up against time.

  • We don't have a lot of time because we're in this fight.

  • People are dying thes people, working every day, working every day, helping to lead that charge.

  • Army Doctor John die.

  • So this is actually a training lab that we use here.

  • You, sam word to train individuals on howto work in containment.

  • While scientists are working around the clock, A vaccine could still be 12 to 18 months away.

  • People think 12 to 18 months to get a vaccine.

  • That's a long road.

  • So it is a long road.

  • Not only do you have to develop the vaccine like in the laboratory the science part of the vaccine, but then you have to take that vaccine and you have to put it into human clinical trials to show that that vaccine is safe.

  • And as millions practice social distancing every day, these doctors come into closer contact with the deadly virus than virtually anyone else.

  • They showed me how they protect themselves before they step into the lab, scrubs a set of rubber gloves, take down a respirator.

  • Ah, full face shield gown and then another pair of gloves.

  • This is all protective gear.

  • We're the lab technicians that are on the forefront of this.

  • Yes, that is, that is exactly what they would wear at USAMRIID when they're working with coronaviruses at the Army's Corps.

  • The call to dip, boy fight win, no matter what the mission is for ABC News Live, I'm Rachel Scott at Fort Dietrich, Maryland.

  • Our thanks to Rachel.

  • Stop for that report.

  • Hi, everyone.

  • George Stephanopoulos here.

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the United States Army is, of course, known for going out on the front lines during high risk missions and is on the ground during war.

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