Page 36
                                                             EXHIBIT 10(iii)A(6)

                ASPIRATION ACHIEVEMENT INCENTIVE AWARD AGREEMENT
                FOR EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND GROUP PRESIDENT


     THIS  AGREEMENT,  made as of the 1st day of June,  1999 (the "Grant Date"),
between National Service  Industries,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation ("NSI") and
NSI SERVICES,  L.P. (GA), a Subsidiary of NSI  (together,  the  "Company"),  and
GEORGE H. GILMORE, JR. (the "Grantee").


     WHEREAS,  NSI has adopted the National Service  Industries,  Inc. Long-Term
Achievement   Incentive  Plan  (the  "Plan")  in  order  to  provide  additional
incentives to certain  officers and key  employees of NSI and its  Subsidiaries;
and

     WHEREAS, the Grantee, as an executive of the  above-referenced  Subsidiary,
performs  services with respect to the CHEMICAL  GROUP,  NATIONAL LINEN SERVICE,
AND AECO operations of the Company (the "Operations"); and


     WHEREAS,  the  Committee  responsible  for  administration  of the Plan has
determined to grant to the Grantee an Aspiration  Achievement Incentive Award as
provided herein.


     NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto agree as follows:


     1. Grant of Aspiration Award.


     1.1 The  Company  hereby  grants to the Grantee an  Aspiration  Achievement
Incentive  Award (the  "Award"),  which has a value  determined  as  provided in
Section  2 below  based  upon  the  performance  of the  Operations  during  the
Performance  Cycle from September 1, 1997 to August 31, 2000. As provided in the
Plan,  Grantee's  right to  payment of this Award is  dependent  upon  Grantee's
continued  employment in Grantee's  current  position with the Company,  or in a
position with  responsibilities  of  substantially  similar value to the Company
during the remainder of the Performance  Cycle.  Under certain  circumstances as
described below,  Grantee may be entitled to receive payment for some portion of
the Award if Grantee's employment terminates prior to the end of the Performance
Cycle.


     1.2 The  Grantee  hereby  acknowledges  receipt  of a copy of the  Plan and
agrees to be bound by all the terms and provisions thereof. This Agreement shall
be construed in accordance with, and subject to, the provisions of the Plan (the
provisions  of which  are  hereby  incorporated  by  reference)  and,  except as
otherwise  expressly  set  forth  herein,  the  capitalized  terms  used in this
Agreement shall have the same definitions as set forth in the Plan.


     2. Performance Measure and Performance Levels.

                                                                         Page 37
                                                             EXHIBIT 10(iii)A(6)


     The Committee has  established the  performance  measure (the  "Performance
Measure"),  and award and  performance  levels set forth in  Appendix A attached
hereto.  The chart in Appendix A specifies a Commitment  performance  level,  at
which the Commitment Level Award will be paid, an Aspiration  performance level,
at or above  which an  Aspiration  Level  Award  will be paid,  and a  threshold
performance  level,  at which a minimum  incentive  award will be paid and below
which no award  will be paid.  For each  level of  performance  at or above  the
threshold  performance level through the Aspiration  performance level,  Grantee
will receive an award  determined in accordance  with the chart and formulae set
forth in Appendix A. The terms used in determining the  Performance  Measure are
defined in Appendix B.


     3. Determination of Aspiration Award.


     3.1  Determination  Notice.  Subject to Section  3.2, as soon as  practical
following the last day of the Performance  Cycle,  the Committee will determine,
in  accordance  with  Section  7(c) of the Plan,  the  performance  level of the
Operations  with respect to the Performance  Measure for the Performance  Cycle.
The  Committee  may in  determining  the  performance  level with respect to the
Performance Measure adjust the Operations' financial results for the Performance
Cycle to  exclude  the  effect of  unusual  charges  or income  items  which are
distortive of financial results for the Performance  Cycle;  provided,  that, in
determining  financial  results,  items whose exclusion from  consideration will
increase the performance  level of the Operations  shall only have their effects
excluded if they  constitute  "extraordinary  items"  under  generally  accepted
accounting principles and all such items shall be excluded.  The Committee shall
also adjust the performance  calculations to exclude the unanticipated effect on
financial results of changes in the Code, or other tax laws, and the regulations
thereunder.  The Committee shall also exclude from  consideration  the effect on
financial  performance of each of the following events or items where the result
of excluding the particular  event or item is to increase the performance  level
of the Operations:  (i) an acquisition or a divestiture  involving more than $10
million  in net  worth or $25  million  in  business  revenues;  (ii) an  equity
restructuring  involving more than $1 million;  (iii) asset  impairment  charges
involving more than $1 million and  restructuring  costs  involving more than $1
million  associated  with facility  closings or reduction in employment  levels;
(iv) changes in accounting  treatment or rules  involving  more than $1 million.
The Committee may decrease the amount of the Award otherwise  payable to Grantee
if,  in the  Committee's  view,  such  adjustment  is  necessary  or  desirable,
regardless of the extent to which the Performance Measure has been achieved. The
Committee may establish  such  guidelines and procedures for reducing the amount
of an Award as it deems appropriate.


     The Company will notify the Grantee (or the executors or  administrators of
the Grantee's  estate,  if applicable)  of the  Committee's  determination  (the
"Determination  Notice"). The Determination Notice shall specify the performance
level  of the  Operations  with  respect  to the  Performance  Measure  for  the
Performance  Cycle and the amount of Award (if any)  Grantee will be entitled to
receive. Unless the Committee determines otherwise at the time the Award is paid
and except as otherwise provided in the event of a Change in Control, the amount
Grantee is entitled  to receive  will be paid  one-half in cash and  one-half in
Shares.  The Shares will be valued at their Fair Market Value as of the last day
of the  Performance  Cycle.  Except  in the case of a  Change  in  Control,  the
Committee may, in its discretion,  attach restrictions,  terms and conditions to
the Shares issued as part of the Award.


     3.2 Significant  Events Involving the Operations.  If, during a Performance
Cycle,  NSI  consummates an acquisition or disposition  involving the Operations
that (i) involves assets whose value equals or exceeds 20% of the total value of
the  Operations'  assets,  (ii) represents a part of the business whose revenues
equal or exceed 20% of the total of the Operations'  revenues, or (iii) causes a
material restructuring of the Operations, the following rules shall apply:


Page 38
                                                             EXHIBIT 10(iii)A(6)


     (a)  If the  transaction  is  consummated  during  the  first  year  of the
Performance  Cycle, the Performance  Cycle and the Grantee's  outstanding  Award
will be terminated with no payout and a new Performance  Cycle  containing a new
Award will be started.


     (b)  If  the  transaction  is  consummated  after  the  first  year  of the
Performance Cycle, the Performance Cycle will end and the outstanding Award will
be determined and paid at the Operations' actual performance level to such date,
taking into account the adjustments  provided for in Section 3.1 above and using
prorated performance levels of the Performance Measure to reflect the portion of
the  Performance  Cycle that had elapsed as of the date of  consummation  of the
acquisition  or  disposition.  Payment  of the  Award  will  be  made as soon as
practical  after it is determined.  A new  Performance  Cycle will be started to
cover the period remaining in the initial  Performance  Cycle or, if that result
is not practical,  the Committee will make an appropriate  adjustment to reflect
the premature termination of the initial Performance Cycle.


     If,  during  a  Performance   Cycle,  NSI  consummates  an  acquisition  or
disposition  that is not covered by the special  provisions of this Section 3.2,
the financial  effects of such  acquisition or  disposition  shall be handled as
provided in Section 3.1.


     Any actions  under this Section 3.2 shall be taken in  accordance  with the
requirements of Code Section 162(m) and the regulations thereunder.


     4. Termination of Employment.


     4.1 In General.  Except as provided in Sections 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4 below,  in
the event that a Grantee's employment terminates during a Performance Cycle, all
unearned Aspiration Awards shall be immediately forfeited by the Grantee.


     4.2 Termination of Employment Due to Death, Disability,  or Retirement.  In
the  event  the  employment  of a Grantee  is  terminated  by reason of death or
Disability  during a  Performance  Cycle,  the  Grantee  shall be  entitled to a
prorated payout with respect to the unearned Award. The prorated payout shall be
determined by the  Committee  based upon the length of time that the Grantee was
actively  employed during the  Performance  Cycle relative to the full length of
the Performance Cycle;  provided,  that payment shall only be made to the extent
at the end of the Performance  Cycle the Award would have been earned based upon
the performance  level achieved for the  Performance  Cycle (taking into account
the  adjustment  provisions  and other rules in Section 3 above);  and provided,
further,  that the performance level used to determine the prorated award cannot
exceed 200% of the Commitment performance level.

                                                                         Page 39
                                                             EXHIBIT 10(iii)A(6)

     In the event of Grantee's  Retirement  (on or after age 65), the full Award
shall  continue to be eligible for payout at the end of the  Performance  Cycle,
just as if Grantee had remained  employed for the  remainder of the  Performance
Cycle  (including if the Grantee dies after Retirement but before the end of the
Performance  Cycle).  At the end of the Performance  Cycle,  the Committee shall
make its determination in the same manner as provided in Section 3.


     Payment  of earned  Awards to Grantee  in the event of  termination  due to
death,  Disability,  or Retirement shall be made at the same time payments would
be  made  to  Grantee  if  Grantee  did  not  terminate  employment  during  the
Performance Cycle.


     4.3 Change In Control.  Notwithstanding  anything in this  Agreement to the
contrary,  if a Change in Control occurs during the Performance  Cycle, then the
Grantee's Award shall be determined for the  Performance  Cycle then in progress
as  though  the  Performance  Cycle  had  ended as of the date of the  Change in
Control and the outstanding  Award will be paid at the Commitment Level Award or
the actual  performance  level to such date (using,  for such purpose,  prorated
performance  levels of the  Performance  Measure to reflect  the  portion of the
Performance  Cycle that has  elapsed  as of the date of the Change in  Control),
whichever provides the greater payment.  The Award determined in accordance with
the  preceding  sentence  shall be fully vested and payable  immediately  to the
Grantee.  The  Committee  shall  determine  the  amount of the Award  under this
Section 4.3, subject to the terms of this section, and no downward adjustment of
the Award which would result in reduction of the Award by more than 50% shall be
permitted.  The Award will be paid in full in cash, unless the Grantee elects to
receive one-half of the Award in Shares.  For purposes of determining the number
of Shares to be paid to a Grantee  under this Section 4.3, the Fair Market Value
of a Share shall be determined by taking the average closing price per share for
the last  twenty  (20)  trading  days  prior to the  commencement  of the offer,
transaction or other event which resulted in a Change in Control.


     4.4  Termination  Without  Cause.  In the  event  Grantee's  employment  is
terminated  by the  Company  without  Cause  more  than one (1) year  after  the
commencement  of the  Performance  Cycle and prior to the end of the Performance
Cycle,  the Grantee  shall be  entitled to a prorated  payout of the Award based
upon the  length of time that the  Grantee  was  actively  employed  during  the
Performance  Cycle  relative  to  the  full  length  of the  Performance  Cycle;
provided,  that  payment  shall  be made  only to the  extent  at the end of the
Performance  Cycle the Award would have been earned  based upon the  performance
level achieved during the Performance  Cycle (taking into account the adjustment
provisions and other rules in Section 3 above); and provided,  further, that the
performance level used to determine the prorated award cannot exceed 200% of the
Commitment  performance level. Payment shall be made to Grantee at the same time
as if Grantee had not terminated employment during the Performance Cycle


     5. No Right to Continued Employment.


     Nothing in this  Agreement or the Plan shall be  interpreted to confer upon
the Grantee any rights with respect to continuance of employment by the Company,
nor shall this  Agreement or the Plan interfere in any way with the right of the
Company to terminate the Grantee's employment at any time.

Page 40
                                                             EXHIBIT 10(iii)A(6)

     6. Nonassignment.


     The Grantee shall not have the right to assign, alienate,  pledge, transfer
or  encumber  any  amounts  due  Grantee  hereunder,  and any attempt to assign,
alienate,  pledge,  transfer,  or encumber Grantee's rights or benefits shall be
null and void and not recognized by the Plan or the Company.


     7. Modification of Agreement.


     This Agreement may be modified,  amended,  suspended or terminated, and any
terms or conditions may be waived, but only by a written instrument  executed by
the parties hereto.


     8. Severability; Governing Law


     Should any  provision  of this  Agreement  be held by a court of  competent
jurisdiction  to be  unenforceable  or invalid  for any  reason,  the  remaining
provisions  of this  Agreement  shall not be affected by such  holding and shall
continue in full force in accordance with their terms.


     The  validity,   interpretation,   construction  and  performance  of  this
Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware  without giving
effect to the conflicts of laws principles thereof.


     9. Successors in Interest.


     This  Agreement  shall  inure to the  benefit  of and be  binding  upon any
successor  to the  Company.  All  obligations  imposed  upon the Grantee and all
rights  granted to the Company  under this  Agreement  shall be binding upon the
Grantee's heirs, executors, and administrators.


     10. Resolution of Disputes.


     Any dispute or disagreement which may arise under, or as a result of, or in
any way relate to,  the  interpretation,  construction  or  application  of this
Agreement shall be determined by the Committee. Any determination made hereunder
shall be final,  binding and  conclusive  on the Grantee and the Company for all
purposes.


     11. Withholding of Taxes.


     The Company  shall have the right to deduct from any amount  payable  under
this Agreement, an amount equal to the federal, state and local income taxes and
other amounts as may be required by law to be withheld (the "Withholding Taxes")
with  respect  to any  such  amount.  In  satisfaction  of all  or  part  of the
Withholding Taxes, the Grantee may make a written election (the "Tax Election"),
which may be  accepted or rejected in the  discretion  of the  Company,  to have
withheld a portion of the Shares  issuable  to him or her  pursuant to an Award,
having an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the Withholding Taxes.


                                                                         Page 41
                                                             EXHIBIT 10(iii)A(6)






                        NATIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES, INC.



                                            By:/s/ James S. Balloun
                                                   -----------------------------
                                                   JAMES S. BALLOUN
                                                   Chairman, President and
                                                   Chief Executive Officer



                       NSI SERVICES, L.P. (GA), Subsidiary



                                            By:/s/ James S. Balloun
                                                   -----------------------------
                                                   JAMES S. BALLOUN
                                                   Chairman, President and
                                                   Chief Executive Officer



                                               /s/ George H. Gilmore, Jr.
                                                   -----------------------------
                                                   Name of Grantee:
                                                   GEORGE H. GILMORE, JR.


Page 42
                                                             EXHIBIT 10(iii)A(6)
                                                                      Appendix A



              Aspiration Award Program Illustration - FY 1998-2000


Name:       George H. Gilmore, Jr.                         Division:   Corporate
Position:   Executive Vice President and Group President
Salary:     $450,000

Total LTI Multiple:  160%
AAI % of LTI:         30%
Prorated Months:     15 of 36

                                                                                             

                                                                                  Achievement Level
                                                              Threshold           Commitment          Aspiration
FY98-00 Economic Profit ($000,000)
(Chemical Group, National Linen Service, AECO)                **                  **                  **
Individual AAI Opportunity                                    $22,500             $90,000             $450,000


Aspiration Award Program Opportunity

The following graph depicts the potential incentive award that would be paid out
at different levels of the Operations cumulative econimic profit,  including:  a
Threshold  performance level; a Commitment  performance level; and an Aspiration
performance level.


                                                                               
                                                                                  Individual
                                                                                  Aspiration
Economic Profit (000,000)                                                         Award

Threshold **                                                                      $  22,500

Commitment **                                                                     $  90,000

Aspiration **                                                                     $ 450,000



**  Confidential  information  has been  omitted and filed  separately  with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.

                                                                         Page 43
                                                             EXHIBIT 10(iii)A(6)
                                                Appendix A           (continued)


                     ASPIRATION ACHIEVEMENT INCENTIVE AWARD
                                       FOR
                         1998 - 2000 PERFORMANCE PERIOD

           CHEMICAL GROUP, NATIONAL LINEN SERVICE, AND AECO OPERATIONS



Formula:  Payout as a Percent of Commitment Award = a x EP + b


Below Commitment Level EP:
         a =  0.02517
         b = -0.65101

Above Commitment Level EP:
         a =  0.09877
         b = -5.47901

Notes:

1.   EP =  Cumulative  Economic  Profit for  performance  period,  which will be
     expressed in millions, rounded to one decimal place.

2.  Values for "a" and "b" will be rounded to five decimal places.

3.  Payout percentages will be rounded to a tenth of a percent.

4.   No award is  payable  below the  Threshold  Level EP,  notwithstanding  the
     formula set forth above.

5.   The  maximum  award  payable  is  500%  of  the  Commitment   Level  award,
     notwithstanding the formula set forth above.

Page 44
                                                             EXHIBIT 10(iii)A(6)



                                                    APPENDIX B

                                              ASPIRATION ACHIEVEMENT
                                                  INCENTIVE AWARD
                                                PERFORMANCE MEASURE

                                                       

PERFORMANCE MEASURE                                       DEFINITION


Economic Profit                                           Sum of the annual economic profits for the performance
                                                          cycle.  Annual economic profit shall be determined as
                                                          follows:  Adjusted After-Tax Profits (AATP) minus
                                                          [Average Invested Capital times the Weighted Average
                                                          Cost of Capital (WACC)]


RELATED TERMS                                             DEFINITION


Average Invested Capital                                  Average of the average beginning and ending Invested
                                                          Capital balances each month.

Adjusted After-Tax Profit (AATP)                          Adjusted Pre-Tax Profit minus Book Income Taxes.

Adjusted Pre-Tax Profit (APTP)                            Income before provision for income taxes plus interest
                                                          expense plus implied interest on capitalized operating
                                                          leases.

Book Income Taxes                                         Reported tax rate (determined by dividing
                                                          the provision for income taxes by the
                                                          income before the provision for income
                                                          taxes, as reported in NSI's annual financial
                                                          statements) applied to APTP.

Invested Capital                                          [Total assets plus capitalized operating leases, less
                                                          short and long-term investment in tax benefits] less
                                                          [non-interest bearing liabilities except for self
                                                          insurance reserves and deferred tax credits relating to
                                                          the safe harbor lease].

Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC)                   Ten percent (10%) will be the WACC for the Performance
                                                          Cycle ending August 31.