Is my husband an alcoholic?

my husband and I have been married almost 4 years now. I love him and he is a great father to the kids. However, lately I've been concerned about his drinking. Before I meant him he was addicted to Rx pain meds, and had a doctor who would hand them out like Halloween candy. One day he deiced to quit, and with some help, he did. However he still suffers from pain. He got shot with a BB gun as a child, and the bullet lodged there, and was never removed because it was too close to a growth plate. So he self medicates with alchol. He also "emtional drinks". Him and his dad have a bad relationship, and his dad uses a lot of back handed comiplments, or insults us out right. My husband than goes on a binge, and often these are when things get really bad, and he takes out his anger out on me (not physically, just shouting). When he is sober he is the nicest guy in the world, but I cannot take this much longer.

What can I do? Drag him to AA? This is starting to have a negative impact on my family. I wish I could make him understand.