Quite possible. He may very well be an excellent addiction specialist, as you almost have to have been a past addict to be especially good and effective at being a rehab counselor or something related. Not saying all who study addictive behaviours and go into a line of work or research dealing with substance abuse or addiction issues have been addicts, because they’re not. I know of a couple, one is a family therapist and the other a psychiatrist, who are good at dealing with clients and patients with these problems.
Oh, the first thing many newly sober guys do, after they’ve sponsored one sponsee, is go get their MSW so they can be a counselor. Egos get swelled as they see recovery working.
A year or so down the road, the men are separated from the boys and not many stick it out. It’s one thing to try to help someone who wants help, all on a voluntary basis, and quite another to deal with people sent by the courts, who just want someone to sign their court slips.