The U.S. ban on media coverage of returning war dead has been lifted.

For the first time in two decades, cameras rolled Sunday as a flag-draped coffin carrying the remains of Staff Sgt. Phillip Myers arrived at Dover Air Force Base.

The ban was first imposed by the Pentagon during the Gulf War and tightened further by former President George W. Bush.

The Obama administration relaxed the ban to give military families the choice. Myer's family allowed the news coverage, but declined to be interviewed or photographed.

Opponents of the previous policy said that it had been put in place to hide the cost of war.

The revised policy will only allow soldiers' coffins to be shown if their family approved. The government will have no impact on the decision.